SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1552, 14 July 1885, Page 2

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

To ibb Editor. Sir, — Blindly allow me to nuke e few remarks about the above subject. At starting let me say that, to my mind, the J question of oar school is being disoassed 1 and looked at from a wrong standpoint al- ' together. We colonists, Sir, are, I think, becoming notorious for discussing men instead of measures, and lor sticking to and upholding persons instead of following up and fighting fur principles. This no doubt arises from our taking a too superficial view of things, and u a moat faUadotH way of endeavoring to arrive at resuUa Intended for the public good. Then, again, we are exceedingly unstable—aq much ao, that many of our public men become public and popular because they would as aeon ton one way as another, irrespective ae to bow they are to uphold end carry out the principles which oxpweeed

11 3 ' they started The error, I think, is that they allow'themselves to be acted upon by outside influences and unimportant considerations too mnoh while on the way, so that instead of running straight tor the mark, as at first they intended to do. they only get hall way and are the reverse of what they were ; or, keeping on, they ultimately reach the point from which they .at £mt moved off. Now, Sir, I maintain that this easy, yielding, slipshod manner of doing things is against all true progress, and is telling most unfavorably on many of onr public institutions to-iay, which . otherwise might have been a glory in our 'land onr Borough School to wit and onr public men aeek a higher platform than mere personal , considerations, and take their stand and fight for principles and results. Instead of L -lor men, onr institutions will not prosper K bat go down. Now, Sir, in reference to our sch Sol, about which so much is just now being said and done, what are tbs facts of the crse? In the first place dp we or do we not expect that it should record progress, and show greater results as year after year goes by? I think, Sir, the universal reply will be, Yea, Very well, then, the answer wo require is easily obtained. Let ns look back for •» mnmwit over a period of three years, ■and compare the then state of the school with what it is at the present time. The , headmaster was at that time dismissed , becsnse be could not produce sufficient < results, but taking into consideration the growth of the children, the increase of appltenees, and the payment of .higher nalaribS since then, let ns ask ourselves il the school iat present in any bettei

' stale, and does it produce greater results Oty, will it now compare favorably wit! wbxt it‘waa then? That,JSir, I think it ri»fi gift* which the public ought to take of the whole matter, and pass judgment accordingly, leaving the personal element cat one aide, altogether. Now, according to tfaoae who are ita legal and properly qualified judges, during the last three yein the school has miserably failed, and outside of all men personal consideration *b*t also must be the verdict of everyone who has watched the course of events, and knows its real state at the present time.. What, then, the diai turbing causes, and wherein does the weakness lie 2 Are the elements of nonJ to be found in the children, or are they in the teachers! Now, what say the records os well aa experience? That tmtiiputmo* late report show? that the condition of the school is at present very, vary feeble, will not be denied* _ That 1 eight months the annual examination proved that its condition wss very bad fadmtd, and that eighteen months ago by a specially appointed commission, the * secret of all the trouble was unmasked and hepught to the light, is only too well|pin«n by every householder in the district. . How, Sir, as one of the public, I that it is only right that we sboold know what vaare being led to do. Tn the fewt place then it is plain that the gohool as at present managed is not a suoceesj is the second place* _ the secret of Its noo-sneoess has been made known. tfoW,the Board of Education, after meSlie acting on the personal report and (recorded' condition of the . school, together with the tabulated results thereof by its officers, have decided that in the interest of the children of this dis--irict itis' necessary that the headmaster be removed. The local Committee, knowing all the circumstances of the case, have thought fit to Confirm that decision. The Board again after further evidence have ratified their former conclusions, and the Committee again see no reason to change . their minds'. Now, Sir, under ordinary circumstances we should consider the conclusion strived at right and fair, and the only. ope. which sensible men could possibly support. Unfortunately, however, j 'the personal element has been introduced J .Jntp die question, and for the moment the N real point at issue—which is non-success ; —is overlooked altogether. And is it not jfeton»bing that intelligent men, knowing this, and being acquainted with all the fjMw> and dirt of the past, can, like dogs la die chase, having obtained a scent, riuh headlong in the pursuit, regardless ns to whether they are on the right track or not? It is, to be hoped. Sir, that the Boned of Education, with whom the decision xmw rests,. will unflinchingly do fho?» duty to the district, and will not Allow the progress of the school to interfbned with any longer, which certainly 4nn»t and will be the. case if the present arrangements remain unchanged. I am, etc, Common sense.