The Manawatu Standard. PUBLISHED DAILT.) Suivanti la verite. WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1883. SCHOOL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 136, 16 May 1883, Page 2

Manawatu Standard. PUBLISHED DAILT.) Suivanti la verite. WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1883. SCHOOL.

We- learn that some Vtfiffibulty has been experienced Jn -, obtaining, . an. , .assistant teacher for the Government.: School in Palmerston. One after another has been appointed, ■ but seveFaT nave de^ in the fact that the whole teaching staft dined fa come, and [few remain., any length of time. -i We fear the, iauitlies requires a, complete, reorganization. Teachers from a distance, before entering npon the duties of a new position, generally mafce'inqtiirres %is to ihW stir* round ings of their intended locality. The result of such inquiries in reference to the Palmerston. school might possibly reveal certain facts that mighb have the effect of inducing candidates to reconsider their inteniion. We need not enter into details, but it will be sufficient to say that the general impression is that should any change be made, it should be in the appointment of a headmaster with more extended experience . It is certainly somewhat anomalous that a second master in a public school, in an important town like Palmerston, should possess attainments to which the head-master cannot, so far as we are aware, lay claim. We do not desire to press unduly on the head-master, but we state that it is the general impression of those who have children attending the school, and whose opinions are .on that account the more worthy of consideration, that were a change in the -head-mastership made, such would conduce to the material improvement of the school. We could count parents by the score in Palmerston who have complained to us that their children have made no progress; at the ./Government school, except in undesirable directions. We repeat that such has been the sub" stance of complaints frequently made to us by parents of children attending the Government school, many of whom have since withdrawn their children. Unless there is a. thoroughly efficietft and experienced master at the head of a school, it cannot be expected that the organization of the teachers will be as it should, or that the results can be satisfactory. While the assistant teachers are being perpetually changed, the educational ■progress of the, children mußt..be.a'etarded to a considerable extent. Some people attach a great deal of importance to the Standard test. We don't. Few but know how^easy ifrjs toj'work up' the required per centage of 'passes." While the candidates are being "coached," the less fortunate pupils are necessarily neglected. We 'have- no' doubt' ttie headmaster conscientiously does his best, but we think he will agree with us that in the interests of the school, : a complete change in the teaching staff would be desirable. In Wanganui, Wellington, Nelson,, • and other large centies a re- organization in the teachingstaff of the principal public schools ha* from time to time been found necessary, and we believe what have been at certain periods the experience of those places, is now that of Palmerston. '(here can be no doubt a great error was committ d in not having another school established in the Terrace End direction ; as> by that means the labour and responsibility would have been proportionably divided to the advantage of each school. We venture to say that until a complete res organisation of the teaching staff has been effected, the Palmerston public school will not efficiently fulfil its appointed sphere in affording the means of obtaining a sound practical education to the great bulk of the youth.of the place.