"BACKSTAIRS" INFLUENCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 591, 20 August 1909, Page 4

"BACKSTAIRS" INFLUENCE.

AND SCHOOL APPOINTMENTS.' "_ i( .

A RADICAL REMEDY PROPOSED. '' ''

...Speaking to a Dominion representative in'r*> . foj-onca to the question of ""backstairs" influence in regard to school -apiibintments,: Uγ." JO. M'-lvenzie, cliaii'man' of the ketone bohool. Coni> liiitcee, said; "1 consider, that, the .time is not far . distant '.when school, committees, will be things or' the pastel;think we should go in for an increased .'number of; education boards, each administering'. the affairs of.a: email district,,on "the 1 j lies•'of the'.ScoHislr educational.;. systoni. There cquld'bo a board,for AVoliington, City, one for the'-Hutt Valley, another for the'...-'.' Wairarapa, and so on. /These boards, , which would be , under>tk« direct'control of tho Education Departments should bs , elected by the.direct vote of : the people.- At the present time, i the boards ar«'the nominees of school committeem«n. ■ If this is done, the boardi would see that-tho teachers wore qualified ia 6very respect, and would, of course,' make all appointments. My : proposal involves the com", pleto disbaridment of o,vcry .school coiumittoe. ;. . v !'As: to the teachers themselves—l do not ob- , ! jeot to any .member of, the iteaohing profession coming to me" as a stranger, merely desiring to ■' make (himself known.. I do object, : howover, anyone's sceking'.my support'and (influence be-, fore.' wo go over tho. credentials- and qualifU ; cations .of .other applicants.; I think it advis- ■„'<-■ abio that members of 'tho committee should see , a particular applicant'in' order to' form on . opinion concerning/his personality. I havo spoken to. other'cn'mmitteciHou about this, and. >■ their opinion coincides with my own. v ',-.'• ■ "Tho following- procedure' was adopted when we hnado "a recent appointment at Petones— • •"'' Tho names .of .about..twoiity apolioants- were: ,>' clialked on a blackboard, and, a's'tho oommit' x ■ toe went through .their credentials, ;cacb-.in-dividual Kinder reyie*. was called, in.separately r .r;,.and questioned, in a way calculated to,.test his Capability for the position he sought,to > Gil. By this means we wero able ; each man's merits, iiid so make e.'satisfactory ' selection. : ",, ' '.'.' : •. , , ' /■•• "If the transference of teachers is to bo cqnj tinueil.V added 3fr. Jl'Keiizic, "tho position will . lw a serious one for the -profession.- If the ■•■. board did the whole of tho appointitif;, as J' suggest,-that difficulty would be; obviated, a3 •,■,-. tho controlling body would come into personal: . oontact, with the parents concerned. The inspectors make up ti istwlien a position. is. .;-■■• vacated, and. place it .before the board., Then., some member may have a fayo«r|le, and ne nrevails on his confrel-es .to .oHer; th 6,. list to ■ suit'his purpose:.' Thus, .the Inspectors, who',, ate supposed to act as the judges'of. a ntt s.;.-;,, abilitv; are not allowed to act in that capacity. Therefore', the prfsent 'system is a farce. - If .- therewas a proper systejn of chssifioation,, the teachers , would have .something to lookforward to, but at present their fortunes;aro dealt van in'.a. haphazard, way." ,-■ ,-V : -..' ■ ■: