EDUCATION BOARD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5614, 27 March 1879, Page 2

EDUCATION BOARD.

The ordinary meeting of the Education Board was held yesterday. Present —The Hon. C. C. J. Pharazyn (chairman), Archdeacon Stock, Rev. A:r. Paterson, Messrs. Toomath, Beetham, Hutchison, and Pharazyn. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amountiug to £2003 9s. lid. were passed for payment. CORRESPONDENCE. “ Wellington, March 7, 1879. ; “Sir,—l am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th ultimo, in which, with reference to the communication of the Thorndon school committee, respecting the action of the Board in purchasing a school site without consulting them, you forward copies of correspondence and minutes of the Board not previously in the hands of the Goment, and express’ the Board's willingness to act in concert with the committee in submitting the question to the decision of the Minister. I am to state the Government consider that section 77 of the Education Act expresses very clearly the power of Boards in this matter. They are authorised to select, purchase, &c., a suitable site or sites for a sohoolhouse on the application of the committee. "E. O. Gibbes, “ For the Secretary. “To Secretary of Education Board." Mr. Toomath said he did not see the use of the Board if they were to be dictated to. The Secretary understood that the committee merely forwarded the matter to the Minister to decide. Archdeacon Stock observed that so far as his committee were concerned they were of opinion that they had no say in the question of high schools. The Chairman understood that the committee only complained of the principle. Mr. Toomath was of opinion that it would be impossible to find gentlemen more competent to deal with the education of the children than the members of the present Board. Mr. Toomath then moved a resolution to test the question whether the Board could not purchase building sites without dictation from school committees. Archdeacon Stock seconded the motion, which was carried. The Chairman remarked that the Board would only be told to consult with. their solicitor. DEPUTATION FROM THORNDON SCHOOL COMMITTEE. Mr. Maginnity was deputed by the Thorudon school committee to wait on the Board in reference to 'the Thorndon school. Sir. Maginnity said that his object in attending was to urge the Board if possible to procure a site in Sydney-street for additional school purposes. He thought the Board would at onca see the desirability of procuring the site, and also a strip of land in Fraser’s-laue. : This latter site would be a great acquisition, as it would give two entrances. Ho believed the land could be procured at a very reasonable price. The matter was left in Mr. Maginuity’s hands. In reference to the question of new schools, Hr. Maginnity said that the Thorndon school was far too small. The master had very lately had to refuse admittance to a great number of children. They had leased a room from the Primitive Methodists, but the children had to be let out three or four times a day for fresh air, as they were so crammed. Mr. Toomath suggested that the committee should lease the Church of England school. Mr. Maginnity replied that they had applied but could not get it. They were now about asking for the Wesleyan school. He thought the only way to get over the difficulty was to push on as quickly as possible with the new school. THE TERRACE SCHOOL. The following letter from the master of this school was read : Terrace School, March 29, 1879.—T0 the Chairman of the Education Board.—Sir, —l beg to inform you that a disturbance of a serious character was created in this school by Mr. Travers on the afternoon of JFriday, the 15th instant, the particulars of which are as follow ;

On the afternoon in question 'Mr. Travers entered the school and asked if certain boys, whose names he mentioned, were in the school. I replied that ‘ among the names he had mentioned there were some belonging to the school, and if he wished to see them I would send for them.’ When the boys came Mr. Travers began in a very loud and excited tone to crossquestion them about some alleged cruelty to a horse. I at once drew his attention to the fact that that was not the time, nor was this the place, to conduct such inquiries. I pointed out to him that he was disturbing the whole school, and that on no account would I permit such conduct, and requested him to retire to the caproom. Mr. Travers then flew into a violent passion and said that ‘ he was a magistrate,’ and remarked that ‘he would come into the school when be liked and do what he liked, and dared me to interfere upon my peril.’ I'told him ‘l‘would not allow any one to create such a disturbance in my school, even if he. had the authority of fifty magistrates,’ and ordered him out of the room. Mr. Travers took no notice of my remarks, but called in some rongh-looking fellow to identify the boys. I then told him I wonld bring his conduct under the notice of the Board. This scene lasted for about a quarter of an hour, during which time the school was in : a state of wild excitement; in fact the confusion created by Mr. Travers was so great that I found it impossible to make my voice heard.. I was unable to restore the school to ,a state of perfect order during the rest of the afternoon. Before leaving Mr. Travers told me that ‘my sohool was a disgrace to the’ community,’ and spoke of sending up the police at once to arrest the boys. I have since satisfied myself that the pupils of this school, had nothing to ;do with the matter 1 complained 1 of. : I have delayed writing this'letter for severaldays to give Mr. : Travers an opportunity of reconsidering his ’ conduct ■ and . making: ’mb ‘a satisfactory apology, hut he hasnot ,dpne so; The above particulars ‘are,taken.'from, the. entry in the sbhdol log book, made by me bn the afternoon of the occurrence. In conclusion, I beg to draw your’ attention to the'fact that in my position as head master of this school, and m the presence of my pupils, I have been grossly insulted, .threatened, and my authority set at 'defiance, I would therefore respectfully, request the Board to adopt such, measures as will effectually protect masters from such unseemly interruptions for thb future. I would also bring under your notice the 96th section of the Education Act, which appears to me to meet -the case.—l am, &c. (> J. .YotiSG, head master. Terrace school.” ’ ■ The Chairman referred to the Act, and stated that any person acting as Mr, Travers was stated to have done .rendered himself liable to be brought before , a Court of Justice and fined 40s.

Mr. Phaiuztn thought it was not a question for the Board to deal with. The Kev., Mr. Paterson thought Mr. Travers' good sense would show him that he should apologise. The Board should give an expression of opinion. . He was perfectly surprised that a gentleman like Mr. Travers should go into any school and act in such an unbecoming manner. . Mr. Phabaztn observed that the Act did not state who was to prosecute in the event of summonsing. If they summoned Mr. Travers he would beat them at once on that point. It was decided to write to the school committee, requesting them to deal with the matter as the Act specifies. MOUNT COOK SCHOOL, “ March 20,1879. “ To the Chairman of the Education Board. “ Sir, —The Mount Cook School Committee beg to forward the following report of certain matters which recently transpired in the boys’ school. “ During the month past the committee received from Mr. Bveriss, the head master, a letter (enclosure No. 1), in which he made grave charges against the Misses McGowan, three teachers who were appointed to the boys’ school in July last. About the same time complaints against Mr. Bveriss were verbally made by these teachers to the chairman. Immediately inquiry was instituted, which led to several attempts to induce Mr. Bveriss to withdraw his letter, and make further effort to work amicably with these tea-: chers, accompanied by the assurance that; should there be reasonable ground for repeated, failure, the committee would take steps'to procure a remedy. Mr. Bveriss persistently refusing, to accept’this advice, the committee with great reluctance appointed an evening to fully investigate the matters .complained of. The Misses McGowan (who declined making any counter charges: against Mr. Bveriss, merely defending themselves), were furnished; with a copy of the head master’s letter, and requested? to meet the l committee - prepared with ahy.rcbutting evidence they could pro-' duoe. Mr. John McGowan, the elder.brother of ‘the accused,’was permitted 'to attend and ,act on'behalf "of his sisters.' ’ Miss’'Jones,’ a teacher in the tame’room,’and her brother)' a Pupil' in the first class, were; requested by the blisses McGowan to attend and' give'evidence.: “ Bor five and a half hours the committee Bat,-threo hours of .which .wsre. occupied by

Mr. Everiss, after this hearing both parties, and devoting a subsequent evening to the consideration of the evidence received. The committee make the following representations : . “The charges of insubordination were fnvolent and unnecessary, aucl were in every instance adduced characterised by Mr. Everiss in language grotesquely exaggerated. It was stated that Miss Jessie McGowan had employed a black board in giving lessons in a manner not previously adopted in the school, but which had been approved of by Urn Inspector when visiting the school. For doing this the black board was in a peremptory and highly unbecoming manner taken away in the presence of her class, though the use of the board, it was admitted, was necessary to greater efficiency. “ Irregularity in observing the hour prescribed for the various exercises forms another part of the charges of insubordination. It was shown that these deviations had been necessary either when a Wesson was completed a few minutes before the time allowed, or when a little extra time was required to properly finish one. Considerable justification for this, if indeed any were needed, is to be found in the fact that no clock is available for ascertaining, during the progress of a lesson, how' the allotted time is passing. Mr. Everiss admitted that while imputing ‘ gross rank insubordination’ to the Misses McGowan for these departures from his t'rae-table, Mr. Sillingtou had a timetable of his own, and that he had also found Mr. Reeves using another table. Thus against those who occasionally depart from the exact time prescribed, either to perfect a lesson or because the exact time cannot be ascertained, heavy charges of insubordination are made, while against those who use a table of their own no complaints are made. “Mr. Everiss.complained that the Misa&c McGowan did not take part in the daily and - weekly drill in the open space at the front of the building. That they did not open the windows before the entrance of the children. And that they did not fill the ink wells andplace them in the desks ready for use. To the charges the committee remark that female teachers ought not to he expected to pass through the evolutions of boys at drill, and are not fitted for positions of command during such exercises. This Mr. Everiss admitted, though he persisted in trying to compel them to do so. This charge, it should he added, lies equally against the other female teachers in the school. The opening of windows is part of tho specified work of the school cleaner, whose attention to the matter should have been drawn by Mr. Everiss; while with reference to the filling of ink wells, at the time the alleged neglect occurred no information had been given them as to .where the ink was to bo found. This, however, the committee is of opinion is work that should bq performed by suitable boys in each class, and not personally by the teachers themselves. : ~ .•

“During the investigation, Mr. Everiss. stated that ‘he would bo candid : that tho plain English was that he wanted to push them out to ’ get pupil teachers. In order to secure this object facts were adduced which clearly showed that Mr. Everiss had adopted methods alike dishonorable, and dishonest—dishonorable in subjecting them to continued treatment of a most unmanly and insulting character, and dishonest in concealing material facts which placed the parties accused in a, reversed position. Tho improper treatment' of these teachers culminated on the 10th and 11th of February, when two of the Misses McGowan; were assailed in a most reprehensible manner. A letter from each of these, detailing the circumstances, was sent to the chairman after a copy of Mr. Everiss’s letter had been put into their hands. A perusal of these (enclosures 2 and 3) is requested. Miss Harriet McGowan, asking one of the boys a necessary question after Mr. Everiss had blown his whistle for silence, the boy was called out for punishment by Mr. Everiss, when the teacher very properly offered the explanation that he was only replying to her. Mr. Evoriss then said to the boy, ‘lt is not your fault, it is your teacher’s and flourishing his cane in Miss McGowan’s face, said, ‘My whistle is for you, for you,’ and that he would not he under any subordinate, never, never, never. This teacher ventured to ask for an apology (which any gentleman would have voluntarily tendered), with the result, however, stated in his letter.

“Mr. Everiss’s conduct to Miss Jessie McGowan on the following day was still more violent. Miss Jones stated that the description given in the letter to the chairman was far short of the actual reality, and that ‘ Mr.' Everiss struck terror into herself.’' Henry Jones, a hoy who was ordered to take charge of the class, stated that, Mr. Everiss, ‘ was in ai passion.’ Miss Harriet McGowan ran into Mr. Sillington’s room to claim his protection, fearing every moment that Mr. Everiss would strike her sister. Miss Jessie McGowan was' so paralysed with fear that she was pnable to give any reply to the violent query, ‘ Are you going :oh with i your work ?’ while Miss Jones states that no time. was given; her to ,do sobefore Mr. Everiss ordered her to stand back, and then told her ‘he had nothing for her todo that morning ; she might : god Scenes like these can only and most speedily demoralise any school, and when it is added that on Mr. Everiss’s own admission he had for some time before refused to punish any boy sent out of class by either of the Misses McGowan, the wonder is not • that Mr., Everiss should complain of the defective authority and discipline exercised in these classes, but that there should be any at all. ■" 1 'iV “Mr. Everiss oh. one occaaion, when proceeding to give a lesson to Miss Harriet McGowan’s class, prefaced the exercise with the remark,: ‘ Boys, you have no; fool 'of a teacher going to have you this morning.' He appears to .have, felt it incumbent, on ..hm/iq giving .instructions, to. the(female teachers to idform them that ; they were his'servants. This treatment was complained of by Miss Coney, of Dunedin, who has not returned to her duties since thfe Christmas’vacation. I ... j

“(With regard : tb the inefficiency ;of ." thd teachers complained of, the .'committee 1 need only remark that the Board is aware that when appointing the Misses McGowan to the boys’ 'school, most satisfactory testimonials and certificates were- furnished respecting their qualifications, and that the committee when approving .the Board’s recommendation expressed great satisfaction ’at J the 'appoint* meat of teachers possessing such high proof of efficiency. Mr. Bveriss submitted to .the committee alleged -proofs of unsatisfactory character of their work, by/? in doing so concealed ■ the facta that he made his tests in November last, when the new standards had been in the hands of .the. teachers 1 ohlya few weeks, and that those tests will be employed in the examinations tobe conducted next September." ’ Comparative results between these teachers and another were given, but it was not stated by Mr.' Bveriss that the teacher was his own niece, that she had the constant advantages of the sole use of the class room and the use of a black board, both of which were denied the Misses M’Gowan.

“ The investigation has led the committee to the following conclusion, after carefully reviewing the facts : “ That Mr. Bveriss possesses to such a degree an infirmity of temperas to wholly unfit him for responsible position of controlling head in a school of such dimensions. That he totally lacks those qualities of either a courteous or conciliating nature so necessary , in directing subordinates of various temperaments, and whose opinions may sometimes legitimately differ fromhis own. That Mr. Bveriss basshown on this occasion, as also when the Board’sprizes were distributed by the Governor last year, that he possesses 1 an unusually strong will which is uncontrollable by reason or prudence. His conduct before the committee was self-willed, impertinent, and sometimes de&ant, and was deserving of the severest, censure. Yet he displayed the utmost complacency respecting his behavior, and expressed his belief in its propriety. He stood convicted of selfcontradiction, and if the evidence of the independent witnesses is credible, of falsehood. For these reasons the committee feel reluctantly compelled to strongly recommend thp Board to remove Mr. Bveriss at the earliest practicable moment. If any further proof is required to show the necessity and urgency of this course it is found in the fact that on the next school d»y,after all the Misses McGowans were. removed to'lower classes, Miss Jessie McGowan having given to her the lowest class in the school,* accompanied by directions that if she required any instructions she must apply to Master Dempsey, the lad previously in charge of the class. Thus class assistant ds to the position _ of the lowest pupil teacher, while superior abilities possessed and paid for are wholly lost to the school. It may be added that the com- . mif f ee nrrrepa nnnnlmnnsly to the - report and its recommendations.—l have, &c., T “ Chae. Mclntyre, Chairman. It was decided to ■ send a copy of the report to Mr. Bveriss - that night, and that .the Board hold a special meeting ! nest day (Thursday) .to consider the matter. -- Mr. Hutchison -remarked that the; Meant

Cook Girls’ School was also in a state of disorganisation. .... Thismatter will also he brought under notice at the special meeting. . ' The - remainder of the business was purely of a routine nature.