THE HAWERA SCHOOL.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 57, 27 October 1875, Page 2

THE HAWERA SCHOOL.

[A I > V KI; TIS KMi;.V T. j

(to the editor of the patea mail.)

Sir, —Feeling myself much aggrieved and unduly open to censure, amongst a number of my friends, who are ymir readers, I am sure your sense of fair play will prompt you to find space in your widely circulated journal for a few lemarks, which, 1 trust, will set me right with those I value among whom I have labored. Some eight months since I was called to the important office of teacher in the Hawera school, • and for a short, time I gave general satisfaction. Meantime, as I would not upset the order of my school to. gratify the wlihmaif some parties here, I was no Everything I then did. was wrong with these 'few, yet they d ienuhied to get rid of me —they have succeeded. I -never got any directions from the Board : I' liad un programme of proficiency expected from the children, though applying for if, in the proper quarter;. Vet, notwithslanding. as a teacher of 25 years experience, hoNling best’ division of 2nd class certificate under the 'Commissioners. of iNutional Education hi Ireland, together agiifi unexceptionable testimonials fromffie clergy •and gentry were period, 1 can safely assert-(hat no children 'in anv school from Wellington 'here:have 1 ' done more, nay, so much, in the same time. The Inspector himself a,’milled as much in liis hotel after the examination. From the very monmut he entered the school to examine i( I could see his bias. .Nothing was right, according to him ; I no progress made; and in manv instances -where the children answered well,.lie sought to give the credit to other teachers.' According to his own showing twelve months are allowed to pass a-child from one standard to another. Yet there was one boy, marked passed from Iho second to the third standard, (he work being accomplished by me in six months ; but because the boy’s sister made mistakes in reading - , 'having passed in ail mRu;; - subjccts, both were crossed off, and I was denied the merit due to my labor. To show that I could not leach ioadim> - he wanted it inferred that my own children spoke indistinctly, which is not the fact, and if so would prove nothing—and finally he gave a specimen of how he would have the children read, which I consider very defective. He may he verv Hover for aught I know, yet I would challenge him before any competent and impart ial’judge in the Island for atrial in elocution.' But being my first experience under a New Zealand inspector 1 was dilli lent as to how I should act, so I let all pass When leaving he told me I was to go next, day to Patea for examimi'ion. and a’though he declined to name the subjects, yet I accepted a seat in his gig witch 1m kindly offered, and promised in he with him next morning. I confess I did not. expect much justice, and when lie mentioned that he persuaded (ho Board not to require Latin and French this’tia’id, I felt convinced the road was chalked foSme. But when L knew that lie stated in-town that better would he done for llawera ns regards a teacher I became convinced from that answer I would not he retained. So having no confidence in him, from what I saw and heard, I sent to him my resignation. There was no use in bringing me.to a mock trial when I was already fudged.

Whether he was influenced by local prejudice, or (hut such is his usual course, T leave the public to judge ; but I feel confident 1 have done my duty towards lie pupils, and I feel rewarded by the thanks and gratitude of .most of their parents, for which 1 feel deeply grateful.

Yours, &c., F. DUNNE, Teacher