TEACHER AND COMMITTEE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 609, 16 December 1909, Page 3

TEACHER AND COMMITTEE.

CANDID OPINIONS. The relations of teachers and School Committees are not always amicable, but it is seldom they reach so great a tension as was disclosed in a letter written by a schoolmaster to his committee, which was read at Monday’s meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board. Relations have been strained for some time, says the Herald, the committee have been endeavouring to get the teacher removed, and the teacher has assumed a defiant attitude. The following are extracts from his communication to the secretary of the committee, the reading of which caused great amusement among members of the Board : “Your threatening letter, which thoroughly becomes you, to hand. Give my kind regards to Mr , and ask him to save all his spare cash, as I will probably want it from him shortly. One would think that I had intentions of defrauding your committee out of 4s 6d. The thought is only of a base mind, and is characteristic of many of your proceedings. . . . I am very sorry

indeed to disappoint you by settling the account, robbing you of an opportunity of showing your fangs. . . . The board’s sympathy, you may not know, is always with the teacher, for they know from experience what sort of paltry-minded men are so often to be found on a committee—in fact, ignorance is the predominating characteristic of a number of committeemen. All this is to say that should I receive the appointment I have applied for I shall leave; otherwise I remain whether you like it or not. As you treat me as a scoundrel, I shall treat you likewise. You ask for £4 4s 6d ; you ask for too little. It is only another instance, however, of your audacity in meddling with things that don’t concern you. You don’t know what has to come out of the ticket money tor expenses, so why have the impudence to tell me how much is due to you ? , . . You are batting just now; my innings comes afterwards.”