TEACHERS AND COMMITTEES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1931, 29 August 1888, Page 3

TEACHERS AND COMMITTEES

» Truly our aystem of edaoatlon is a rotten one. In Marlborough, bb Id Taranakl, a master of a school has bad to resign his position, owing to the treatment he has received from the Board and a Sohool Committee. According to a local paper the master's position became euoh that it left him no option bat to resign, and m bis letter to the Bjard he adds that " the obildren were so tutored at home that they came to .school m a state of veiled rebellion." Tn connection with the resignation of the teacher there was read at the Board : — (1) The Inspector's damaging report, and his expression of surprise at the state of things, considering the qualifications of the master; (2) a letter from the Committee, uttennouely urging the dismissal of the master. '• The three docnmento," says the "Express," "placed before an impartial and reflective person, convey the repetition of an ofttold tale. The master and the Committee cannot agree, and the former must go. He must either go sua ejponte, or be • driven forth.' In thiß case, the master made a dignified bow, and retired before i superior fores. We cannot help remarking, for it struck ub at once, how it ib to be regretted that a gentleman so evidently ctpable, who could coin a phrase bo photographic as ' veiled rebellion ' should have to retire. Good men are not so plentiful that we need drive them forth. Our experience (a pretty extensive one) of the relations of teachers and Committees is that they are mostly ' strained,' owing to f orgetf illness, on the part of both sides, of the difficulties of the position. Ab a rule, schoolmasters are awkward parsons to deal with. They acquire a certain dictatorial habit, and an unpractical, and perhaps arrogant, style. On the other hand, Committees look too much upon the teacher na he appears outside his school, and too little at his attitude while at work. They make him a factor of their social system. They do not do no with the local postmaster or stationmaster ; but they do it with their teacher."— Taranaki Herald.