RAGGING AT PETONE HIGH SCHOOL

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1841, 29 August 1913, Page 8

RAGGING AT PETONE HIGH SCHOOL

' THE INVESTIGATION. SCHOOL STAFF NOT TO BLAME, There was 'a. full attendances, at a Bpecial meeting of tile Petone District High School Committee last night to inquire into two ; alleged cases of ragging. The. headmaster anil one teachor were present. , The headmaster entered a protest against the committee for re-fusing-to "supply copies-of the coinplsirtts to him,' and he considered this most v»it'air. He stated that he knew of one case. of ragging "only, and had the committee asked for his report on, the matter they would have received it. However, lie had made inquiries, and this was the result': A-teacher discovered two boys playing marbles in the grounds during school hours, and asked them (in connection with an incident in it) if they thought that this was "playing the game." Later, in speaking again to his own- class, with the two boys with him, lie recounted the inci"dcut, and again expressed the opinion that theso boys were not playing the game. One of the offenders was a pupil of bis. Tho teachor said: "Shall' J! hand you over to the tender mercies of tlio class?" never-realising that the boys might come to a wrong conclusion from these words; On receipt of a complaint from the parents, he investigated, and'replied that the complaint was substantially .true, and ho regretted tho matter very much. Ho added that ho had admonished the teacher, who also was sorry, and promised that there would be no recurrence of. the matter. It was not; the'practico to allowtho school to take tlielaw into its own •hands. lie 'certainly had the parents' letter, saying that the boy had just recovered ,from an operation. .He aftcr- , wards received- further correspondence ' from tflo. boy's father, who said that lio reasiled t hat the ■ headmaster- had dono hiS"'best to-clear the matter up. The headmaster said he then concluded that the incident had closed. Regarding tho second casej -where,it was alleged a boy was "ducked," he gave an emphatic denial. •• " : ... ! - "When questioned by tho chairman regarding this case,'the headmaster de-c-lined to answer, and challenged tho right-of the committee. When a§kbd by the secretary of the committee (Mr. . Kirk) if bullying was sanctioned: in the school, he replied in / the negative. . , Mr.' Kirk (heatedly) : ""We11,.-then, 1. tell you it exists nowl'V-If you say;you do not know of it, it is time'-you'did."' A heated-dialogue between the chairmail and the headmaster followed''regarding" other cases of ii similar nature, and ended by the headmaster remarking he ought to retiro from the room. After discussing the matter the. conijnitteo passed tho following resolution: "That lmviilg 'investigated these cases' - of ragging, wo ;\re of opinion that the headmaster and-staff gave no .'sanction to tljp .case," but' consider - 'that the teacher in question'acted indiscreetly."