The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1907 SCHOOL CLASSIFICATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3777, 19 November 1907, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1907 SCHOOL CLASSIFICATION.

In Saturday’s issue we published a letter from Mr R. G. Crichton in reference to a grievance against the classification of his daughter, who is a pupil at the local State school. Mr Crichton complained that his daughter had been some time in Standard VI. in a Palmerston school ; when she came to Foxton school, about two months before the examination, she was awarded a competency certificate, but when the present headmaster arrived he.re-classified the school, and the girl was reduced to Standard V. This naturally annoyed the parents, who were anxious that their child should obtain a proficiency certificate so as to enable her to secure a situation suitable to her health, whereas they now contend that twelve months of the girl’s time has been lost, as she is no further forward than she was twelve months ago. As the matter is of public interest, and we know how tongues are prone to wag in regard to matters of this kind and facts become distorted, our representative called upon Mr Adams and asked whether he would be kind enough to throw some light on the subject. He stated that he would not indulge in newspaper controversy with any parent. He is willing to explain matters to parents if they desire to be enlightened on any matter, and if they are not satisfied they can carry their trouble to the Board. Mr Adams said he had no objection to show us the records in the case under notice. We were first shown the schedules of marks dated September 13th and 14th, 1906, signed G. D. Braik, Chief Inspector of Schools, which proved that the girl in question, when she obtained her competency certificate, failed in five subjects out of the seven, and obtained only 40 per cent, of marks in all subjects. We here give the marks awarded by the Inspector : —Reading, 80 out of 150 ; spelling, 30 out of 50 ; writing, 30 out of 50 ; composition 75 out of 150 ; arithmetic, 70 out of 200 ; geograph}", o out of 100 ; drawing, 40 out of 100. Total, 325 out of 800. We were then shown the Wanganui Education Board’s periodical examination cards, and we found that the head teacher’s marks corresponded, and his estimate of the girl’s proficiency coincided with those of the Inspector. In March, in Std. V., she got 269 out of 800 ; in August 220, and in November 386. Her card, moreover, shows that the girl attends school very irregularly, for the column showing the number,of times absent reads : 14, 35, 31 ; total 80, The head teacher then showed us another card, that of the girl’s younger sister, who was promoted by Mr Adams from Std. IV. to Std V,, in May, 1907, which fact was endorsed on the back of the card in red ink. Now, this girl’s marks still further prove to the parents . the correct classification of the elder girl. The younger in the same class gets 357 in August, and 420 in November, thus beating her older sister both times, and by a substantial majority. This certificate is countersigned by“R. Crichton,” and therefore Mr Crichton must have seen that the younger, who has just entered the class, was beating the elder sister, who had reached the class on Mr Crichton’s own showing, at least three years previously. The head teacher informed us that at the examination last week, conducted by two different inspectors, the elder girl failed in several subjects in Std V., and although the parents say their daughter lost heart through being put back, it nevertheless strengthens the action of the headmaster in his classification of the pupil. Mr Adams concluded by asserting that these competency certificates were not pass certificates, and were, therefore, misleading to parents and the public generally. “ Two marks less,” he said, “in 800, and the girl would have failed m every subject (as it was, she failed in five out of seven, with bare marks in the other two), how, therefore, can she be considered to have passed ?”

A number of local Masons attended the Installation ceremony at Otaki last night.

The local Rowing Club will open the season on Decemper nth. A special programme is being drawn up for the occasion. George William Hell, a baker, aged about 47, was found dead on the Wanganui river bank on Sunday morning. Deceased, who was a sufferer from heart disease, had been to the public baths with his son a short time before his death. Mr Osborne, tailor, has on view in his window a patent glass model of a man. By placing a roll of cloth behind the model, the customer can see a fac simile of his suit when made up, and clients can be suited to their liking. Mr Gray presented a petition signed by Mr T. K. Taylor and 9399 others to the House yesterday , praying for the commutation of the sentence passed on a number of bookmakers at Christchurch. The petition was referred direct to the Government.

In the House yesterday, the Premier stated that, provided the Manawatu Railway directors paid ,£SOOO as back paj", he proposed to submit a scheme whereby the employees of the company could come under the superanuation scheme.

The notorious John Burke O’Brien was convicted of drunkenness at Palmerston yesterday. He was also charged with vagrancy. He pleaded eloquently but a stoueyhearted Bench sentenced him to six months hard labour.

The Rev. G. Young-Wood ward, vicar of All Saints, left Foxton yesterday for Wellington, where he will join the ranks of the benedicts, thence proceed to Napier with his bride, where the honeymoon is to be spent. Heaps of good wishes follow him and the bride elect.

There was a very prolonged sitting of the local S.M. Court yesterday and for four hours the proceedings were very fish} r and whitebait pervaded the atmosphere of the Court —Magistrate, counsel, clerk, press and litigants should in future be ashamed to look a whitebait in the face.

The World’s Picture Company played to a fair house in the Public Hall on Saturday night. The audience did not go into raptures over the bill-of-fare. The animated pictures were very indistinct and the vocal items were only passable. To say the least, the ‘ ‘ show ’ ’ was not what it was cracked up to be. Twelve thousand spactators witnessed the football match, New Zealand v. Hull, on Saturday last. The play was brilliant and exciting throughout. Scores at halftime : New Zealand, two goals and three tries ; Hull, goal and try. Wjmyard scored twice. Hull continually threatened in the second half, but New Zealand won by three goals and four tries to Hull’s two goals and three tries. The sum of £i ns 5d was collected at the al fresco concert by the Band funder Bandmaster S. Ennis), on Sunday afternoon, in aid of Mr Robinson, who had the misfortune to break his leg some time back. The Band were somewhat handicapped by the absence of several of their players, who were unavoidably out of town. However, the programme rendered was much enjoyed by those present.

Mr W. G. Richardson, a gentleman interested in the hemp industry, and who has had considerable experience in handling and grading fibre, is at present on a visit to Foxton, in connection with the ‘ ‘ waste product. ’ ’ At present we are not permitted to say much, except that the patent, if successful, is of vital importance to millers throughout the dominion. Mr Richardson is putting up at Whyte’s Hotel. Hermann Louis Sachtler, an iron moulder, aged 19 years, died at the Dunedin hospital on Sunday, the supposed cause of death being poisoning through ■ eating tinned fish. Deceased and six companions went for a picnic last Monday, all partaking of some tinned goods. On the evening of the 13th deceased complained of pains in his stomach, and on Friday he was removed to the hospital. None of deceased’s companions suffered in consequence of eating tinned goods.

Another death under chloroform. A patient at the Christchurch Hospital named James Roberston was admitted to the hospital suffering from an internal obstruction and an operation was commenced shortly after 10 o’clock on Sunday. The anaesthetic was administered in the usual way and the operation proceeded successfully and was almost finished when the patient’s heart fluttered and stopped. Efforts to restore the heart’s action proved unavailing. A verdict was returned that death was due to shock following an operation.

Speaking as one of the local deputation which recently waited on the Minister of Marine at Wellington, in reference to matters of interest to the local port, Mr Hennessy said he anticipated the question re forming a harbour board would come up. He said that a board without revenue could not exist. He was of opinion, however, that revenue could be derived from boats trading to the port, and explained that coal freights are now is per ton more in Foxton than in Wanganui. This is due to the uncertainty of the local bar and river. If, said Mr Hennessy, there was a good channel and the river was lighted at night to enable boats to leave at any tide, it would thus make our port equal to Wanganui, and we could reasonably claim the is per ton charged to Foxton, which charge would meet dredging and lighting expenses.

Mrs Perreau advertises for a domestic servant.

At Hawera yesterday, Thomas John Keneally, 40, a farmer at Ot ikeho, whilst milking was killed by a kick on the head from a cow.

The condition of Hans Wilson, who shot his wife at Addington. Christchurch, and then attempted to take his own life, is unchanged to-day, and is still very precarious. At Motuiti last evening a little daughter of Mr N. Heta was rushed by a cow and gored. The horn of the cow caused a nasty gash in the little girl’s side. Ur Mandl attended the sufferer, who is progressing favourably.

Messrs Rae-Howard and Co. wil hold their usual auction sale in their rooms 011 Saturday, at 2 p.m., when they will offer two go-carts (nearly new), also a wire mattress, copper, lamps, and sundries. Three young men have been arrested at Auckland charged with assaulting, with intent to do grievous bodily harm, a witness in a case against tram-conductor Spence, convicted last Friday on a charge of theft. They were released on bail. The case will be heard tomorrow.

Mr Phillips met with a serious accident at Himitangi yesterday. He was harnessing his horses to a disc harrow, when they bolted, the harrows passing over his head and shoulders, and cutting him severely about the head, shoulders, and hand. He was attended by Dr Mandl, who stitched the wounds up, and made the sufferer comfortable. Mr Phillips is, we are pleased to state, progressing favourably.

We have been shown one of the caps presented by Mr G. H. Stiles, to the Foxtou Cricket Association, for presentation to the winners of last seasons championship. The caps, which are of an exceedingly neat design, navy blue, with the winner’s monogram (D.C.C.) worked on the front. The presentation will take place immediately prior to the Debaters taking the field, in their match against Motoua, on 27th inst.