TEACHER'S DISMISSAL

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 139, 9 December 1929, Page 12

TEACHER'S DISMISSAL

HEARING OF APPEAL

EVIDENCE ON THE MERITS

The hearing of the appeal of Ernest Marryatt, late headmaster of the Upper Hutt State school, against his dismissal from that post by tho Wellington Education Board was continued to-day at the Wellington Magistrate's Court before the Board of Appeal set up under tho Education Act —Mr. E. Page, S.M. (chairman), Mr. T. C. A. Hislop (representative of tho Education Board), and Mr. N. A. Foden (representative of the New Zealand Educational Institute, which represented Marryatt in making tho appeal).

Mr. H. A. Parkinson (secretary to the New Zealand Educational Institute) appeared as advocate for the appellant, and Mr. T. Forsyth (chairman) appeared for the Education Board.

Certain complaints had been made by parents to the Upper Hutt School Committee, alleging undue punishment of certain pupils, a lack of discipline in the school, and discrimination in the treatment of pupils; and it was in consequence of its inquiry into these allegations that the Education Board took action, dismissing Marryntt from the headmastership of the Upper Hutt School, and appointing him headmaster of tho Paekakariki School in a reduced grade.

Tho Appeal Board, which dealt with matters of procedure on Friday last, heard evidence to-day on the merits of the case, parents and others being called to testify in regard to the above allegations.

Witness added that on one occasion Fred Anderson tried to trip her up as the class went into the class-room, and Marryatt dragged him out of the line and bent him back over a desk, struck him in the face, throw him on the ground, kicked him in the ribs, and put his foot ou his chest to hold him down. Afterwards he dragged him ofi to his office. There were about" forty, girls and boys in tho class, and only about two of 'the boys and more than half the girls wero strapped in the first and second terms.

To Mr. Parkinson: She could not remember word for word what Mr. Marryatt said to her when he reproved her for talking. Margaret Grey was strapped three times in one day for talking. Other girls were just as bad,

but they were not strapped. She could see all she had described in. the Anderson incident.

John Morrell (12) said that he had been strapped several times, usually two cuts each time, for answering back and misbehaviour in. class. About four months ago Frank Marryatt (the headmaster's son) was riding by on his bicycle, and ho took hold of the back wheel and guided it into tho school grounds. Frank swore at him, so he pushed him over, twisting the handlebar of the bicycle round, and pushing in the lamp. For that Mr. Marryatt gave him four cuts on the hand and

four on the buttocks. He could only remember two boys besides himself being strapped, and three or four girls. But some of them got it twice or more. If Mr. Marryatt had stated that he or his brother had been punished nearly every day of the year, it would be wrong. Mr. Parkinson said that Mr. Marryatt denidd ever making such a statement. Mr. Forsyth: "lie made it at the Board's inquiry, in reply to a direct question by me." Witness added that on tho occasion j referred to by Nola Weale, he saw Fred. Anderson and Mr. Marryatt struggling on the ground. On the breaking-up day that term the class had niado more noise than usual while Mr. Marryatt was attending to other classes, and he rebuked them, calling them"liar 3 and thieves." Ho called them "liars" for saying they were getting on with their work when they wero not; but did not

explain why he called them "thieves."

To Mr. Foden: Fred Anderson was tho worst boy in the class that term. Anderson was a strong boy, but not one of the strongest boys in the class.

To Mr. Parkinson: Mr. Marryatt was talkiug about the motto of the school

—"Play the Game," Ho did not hear Mr. Marryatt use the word "sneaks" as well as "thieves and liars."

At this stage tho witness became faint and had to leave the Court-room.

When another boy, John Morrell, was called, his father objected to his giving evidence, as it was too much of an ordeal. Ho had just come out of hospital.

FOR "DOINa THE BIGHT THING."

Norman Morrell, in. Standard 11. at the Upper Hutt School, a younger brother oi' John Morrell, said that Mr. Marryatt had on one occasion slapped him on the face with his open hand for breaking through the line of Standard V. when inarching iv the playground; and lie afterwards gave him four cuts on the hand with the strap for it. The others in the class "took a short cut"; but he went round tho post, as they were supposed to do, and through Standard V.

Mr. Hislop: "Then you were doing ;he right thing?"—" Yes."

Mr. I'oden: "How many bo3"s were there in the class?"—-"Fourteen."

Mr. Foden: "And you did the right thing? All tho others were wrong?" —"Yes."

Mr. Forsyth said that that happened on the very day of the Board's inquiry, when Mr. Marryatt knew what he was up against.

A BLOW AND AN APOLOGY,

At the request of Mr. Parkinson, tho witnesses were ordered out of Court until called.

Frank Frederick Hereock, grocer, Upper Hutt, stated that in November, 1928, people came into his shop and told him what Mr. Maryatt had done to his boy.

Mr. Page: "You can toll us of the boy's condition, but not what people told you."

Witness said that the boy complained to him and his mother about having been struck in the face by the headmaster (Marryatt). He was white in the face, but bore no marks and had received no permanent injury.

Mr. Parkinson: "You did not think the occurrence of sufficient importance to complain to the committee?"—"No; Mr. Marryatt had apologised to the boy and said he was sorry he had hit him, so I went no further in the matter." Witness added that his name was on the list of parents who had lodged complaints, because the School Committee had asked him to put his name down as making a complaint. To Mr. Forsyth: Mr. Parkinson had had a talk with him, but had not asked him not to give evidence in the case.

Keith Hercoek, aged 14, stated that about a twelve month ago, Mr. Marryatt was leading a book to the class, and witness was reading another book, when the headmaster came up and struck him on the side of the face with his hand, and asked him if he was game to go' and tell his father' what ho had done. Witness felt sick when told to stand up in front of the class, and the headmaster sat him down at his desk and afterwards took him to the office. He said that he had been at the school for fifteen years and did not care to work for impudent children. He also asked witness if he had ever fainted before; and whether his heart was weak. He was the only boy hit that day in that way.

To Mr. Parkinson: His usual teacher was Mr, JVarieu, and the headmaster

was taking his class. He was not aggrieved at Mr. Marryatt for what he had dono."

To Mr. Fodeu: "The book I was reading was 'Tho Sky Rocket.' "

FLOWER MONITOR "STRAPPED."

Nola Weale, 13, a girl in Standard V. of the Upper Hutt School, taught by Mr. Marryatt, said she was a monitor, and was told off as flower-monitor for the room. She went iv before school hours. Miss Brown (one of tho teachers) telling her she could; but Mr. Marryatt chase.d her out again. Later he dragged her in from the playground, by her shoulder, kicked open the door of his office,"and went to get the strap. She told him she was to be flowermonitor, but he took no notice and strapped her outside tho office door, giving her one stroke on her open hand with a strap similar to that produced. The next morning ho apologised to her in the presence of Miss Brown. He said he was sorry he had strapped her; ho did not know that she was flowermonitor. Thas was near tho end of last year.

In the second term of this year, a girl talked to her in class, and she turned her head to hear what she said,! but did not speak. Mr. Marryatt reproved her for talking; but she said she had not spoken and the other girl corroborated. The headmaster said she knew that turning round to listen was as bad as talking; and if she- did not behave herself he would expel her, whether her father was on the School Committee, or even on the Education I Board. She had seen him strap Fred Anderson, Ken Marshall, and Margaret Grey several times each; sometimes two or three times a day. Pretty well all the girls in tho class had had the strap.