TEACHER'S DISMISSAL

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 141, 11 December 1929, Page 20

TEACHER'S DISMISSAL

APPELLANT'S CASE

"GOOD-NATURED TO GIRLS AND BOYS"

The case for Ernest Marryatt, late headmaster of the Upper Hutt School, appealing against his dismissal from that post by the Wellington Education. Board, was opened j'esterday after noon by Mr. H. A. Parkinson (secretary to the New Zealand Educational Institute) before the Teachers' Appeal Board —Messrs. B. Page, S.M. (chairman), T. C. A. Hislop (representative of the Education Board), and N. A. Fodcn (representative of the New Zealand Educational Institute). Mr. T. Forsyth (chairman) appeared for the Education JBoard).

Noel M'Carthy (13), a pupil in standard five at the Upper Hutt School, said that in the struggle between Fred Anderson and the headmaster, Anderson struck his head against the blackboard. Neither of them went right down on the floor. Mr. Marryatt forced Anderson over to the table to look for the strap, but not finding it there, toak him out to the office. He did not see Mr. Marryatt punching Anderson, nor standing with his foot on Anderson's chest. On the break-ing-up day, they had been playing up a bit in Mr. Marryatt's absence from the room; and he talked to them, saying they were sneaking his timo by playing behind his back; that it was as bad as stealing, because it was sneaking his time. He did not see Margaret Grey or any other girl get the strap.

By Mr. Forsyth: All the class were seated when Mr. Marryatt brought Anderson into the room. Witness had had the strap two or three times; and several other boys had had it. ,

Mr. Forsyth: "At the inquiry you said that nearly all the boys had been strapped?''—'' Yes.''

Mr. Forsyth: "And in reply to Mr. Parkinson, you said you had often been strapped, and twice this, year?" —"Yes."

NO "COOKING TJP."

Mr. Parkinson objected to the witness being asked to remember things that never happened, and especially to his being asked to remember what he had said to him. Mr. Forsyth seemed to think that he had been suggesting things to the children and

"cooking up evidence." He had only questioned some of the children—not nearly so many as Mr. Forsyth appeared to think—as to what they remembered of certain incidents.

Mr. Page said that advocates on both sides had a perfect right to question the children in that way in getting up their cases.

Jack Gow (13), another fifth standard boy, said that on the break-up day Mr. Marryatt told them that if they did not work he would write to their parents and tell them they were not working; that it was not playing the game to play v while he was away. In the playground some of the boys said

hat the headmaster had called them 'sneaks, thieves, and liars," but he lid not hear such words used. He

never, as far as he remembered, during the four months he had been at the school, saw .Margaret Grey or any other girl get the strap. He had not had the strap, but some boya had. By Mr. Forsyth: The headmaster was very good-natured to the girls, and to the boys too.

By Mr. Parkinson: He did not think that any of the children were afraid of Mr. Marryatt.

Arthur Nicoz (10) said he had been strapped twice this year. He thought Mr. Marryatt a kind teacher, not a cruel one. "During the struggle with Mr. Marryatt, Anderson slipped and fell. Mr. Marryatt took him under the arms and lifted him up, and, bumping him with his knees, took him to the office. Anderson was throwing his weight back, and as Mr. Marryatt walked, he bumped Anderson with his knees. He had not seen any giris strapped, but a few boys had been. The children were not afraid of Mr. Marryatt. He did not thrash them much. .

By Mr. Foden: He did not think the children were cheeky to Mr. Marryatt sometimes.

Arthur Parkinson (12) gave similar evidence. It would be untrue to say that Margaret Grey had been thrashed nearly every day. Mr. Forsyth: "Would you say that he was a kind master who hardly ever thrashed anyone?"—" Not oxafctly." "VERY KIND-HE AKTED MAN."

Valda Gow, aged 12, corroborated. By Mr. Forsyth: She considered Mr. Marryatt a very kind-hearted man. She had only seen him punish one girl and one boy during the several months she had been there.

Hilda Croft (12) also gave evidence.

TEACHERS GIVE EVIDENCE,

Maurice Mackowski (now headmaster at the Upper Hutt School), called by Mr. Parkinson and cross-examined by Mr. Forsyth, said that he had, had

no .trouble at all with Standard V.

which he had taken since September last. The whole class was backward and weak in arithmetic. There -was need for a great deal of revision in that subject. He had not found Fred Anderson difficult to manage, but he had some irritating habits. The children were not up to proper standard five standard yet, but a good deal better than in September last.

Florence Watson, a member of the staff at the Upper Hutt School, said that the following letter had been unanimously signed by the teachers at the school:—

"Upper Hutt School, August 22nd.. 1929.—T0 the Board of Inquiry to be held 23rd August at the Upper Hutt School.—Sirs—We have read the reports in criticism of Mr. Marryatt's professional conduct, and consider them not only as gross exaggerations, hut as attempts to blackguard his professional character. As far as we know, the reports of 'victimisation' are entirely without foundation. That there is an 'atmosphere of fear' pervading the school is, as we are fully aware, a most unfair an erroneous statement. We feel that the charge of

victimisation would be more justly directed at those who are endeavouring to bring false and exaggerated charges against Mr. Marryatt. Further, that those charges are not truly representative of Upper Hutt, but are brought up by a mere section of the community, who through ignorance of the true state of affairs, have libelled his good name.—(Signed) M. Mahony I. L. Kerr, G. D. Warring, F. Watson, E. Fletcher, M. W. Nicol."

She had also written a letter on her own account to the chairman of the Education Board, as she was ill and unable to attend the inquiry, staling: ".Never in the two years I have belonged to the Upper Hutt School have I heard of the atrocities, of which he is accused, being committed." She also wrote saying that she had taught under a number of esteemed headmasters, and Mr. Marryatt compared quite favourably with them; and more than favourably in regard to his willingness to help and advise. She had "marvelled at his reasonableness" in his dealings with the children. Irene Kerr (another member of the school staff) gave corroborative evidence.

By Mr. Forsyth: The senior schoolmistress was not asked to sien the letter.

Mr. Forsyth: "So that it was not quite unanimous."

Witness added that she considered the discipline of the school quite good. It was more than average, and the tone of the school quite good. By Mr. Parkinson:' She could not imagine the words "gross misbehaviour," being attached to Mr. Marryatt. His conduct, in her opinion, did not justify it in any way. William Saunders Bowie said that

he was for five yoars an assistant teacher at the Upper Hutt School, ten months under Mr. Marryatt. That was six_ years ago, and he saw nothing amiss with the tone and discipline of the school in that period. He found Mr. Marryatt sympathetic and helpful to himself and kind and considerate to the children.

The hearing was adjourned till 10.30 his morning.