The Star. FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 1880.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3799, 18 June 1880, Page 2

The Star. FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 1880.

It is abundantly evident that scholastic ! ' matters are not in a satisfactory etate *-t | ' Southbridge. This is a condition of j * affairs that might naturally be expected i to arise oat of tbe history of the past. 1 ' We bave always been of opinion that \ after tbe celebrated " oobbing " case of laat year, the head teacher should have ■ been removed to another district, becanße such an event was certain to ! leave behind it a great deal of petty feeling, which there wars good grounds to fear would break oufc in an unpleasant manner in some direction which could not then be foreseen . If we remember rightly • the children of a Mr Woodbuky were involved in some manner in the cobbing case ; presently we find Mr Woodbury elected a member of the School Com- j mittee ; then he ie appointed with a | colleague to visit the Bchool • in the execution of his duty he is brought in collision with the head teacher, who, rightly or wrongly, is smartiug from b sense of injury • as a result be is insulted and ordered to leave the school building, which he has entered in an official capacity. Naturally Mr Woodbury has the sympathy of his colleagues on the School Committee who feel that they have been slighted in the person of their delegate, and naturally also, reprisals ensue ia the shape of possibly captious objections and frivolous fault-finding. It is quite clear from the meeting at Southbridge on Monday night, that the cobbing case is the seed out of which a great deal of soreness has grown in a usually quiet community. Although the resolutions submitted were carried unanimously, the report affords evidence that a considerable spirit of opposition, represented by the Committee, exists in the district to Mr Elwin, the head teacher. We d«> not think it is conducive to good order or propriety that, under any circumstances, a head teacher should be found upon a public platform leading a crusade against tbe members of tbe Committee legally in authority over him ; and Mr Elwin, it is noticeable, was the first speaker to make reference to the cobbirjg case. Mr Elwin said, " He did not dissent from the decision of the Board," which on his part was very judicious, " they gave their decision according to the evidence, but the evidence was not correct." Here someone asserted tbat it was, and Mr Elwin asserted again that "it was not," Now this is evidence that the cobbing business ia still a burning Boro in the mind of Mr Elwin, and it is fair to suppose tbat it burns with equal fierceness elsewhere. It has manifestly led Mr Elwin into an exceedingly indiscreet position on the public platform, and it will probably lead him into equally indiscreet positions in the public schoolroom, if indeed it has not already done so. It is quite clear, from the testimonies given, that Mr Elwin is an able teacher, and that he possesses numerous and warm friends and admirers in the Southbridge district ; but the fact of such a meeting being held is of itself sufficient evidence tbat ho should be removed to some other scene of labour. It is equally clear that he has several and powerful enemies. There must be an influential minority against whom the meeting was supposed to be a demonstration, and it is not sufficient for the satisfactory working of a school that a head teacher should be able to command the sympathies of a large majority of the residents. The views of the minority must be respected in such a matter. Half-a--dozen people are not to bs compelled to send their children to a teacher whom they dielike or distrust because there are twenty others with whom he is popular. On public grounds, a teacher to be satisfactory should as nearly as possible be upon happy terms with all, and thia tbe meeting has shown conclusively Mr Elwin is not. We have no desire to sit in judgment upon Mr Elwin, nor in recommending bis immediate removal from tho Southbridge district do we mean that he should be subjected to loss or injury, but it is evident there will never bo peace or satisfaction whilst he remains in his present position. Should the Committee resign in obedience to the demand of the public meeting — a demand which we are far from saying Bhould not be respected — it seems to us from the action that bas been taken, and the position which Mr Elwin has publicly assumed, the succeeding Committee will not be able to exercise that authority over the head teacher, which the Act contemplates should be theirs. Mr Elwin will iv Buch a case be rendered triumphant over those who have ventured to call his proceedings in question, and the succeeding Committee will not be likely to enter upon any course calculated to bring them in collision with their too powerful teacher. We repeat our opinion that there aro abundant reasons calling for Mr Elwin's removal.