School Committee Report.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 24, 21 August 1912, Page 2

School Committee Report.

To the Editor. Sir, —In your report of tlie School Committee meeting you would m iko it appear that tin) Oouimittoo wore making accusations against the teaching staff that would not be .-safe to print. As a matter of fact, there was very little said on the subject. Your reporter must have either been dreaming or had a very bad taste in his mouth. There were certainly some remarks made about the attendance at the secondary department, and some of the speakers considered that if a higher salary was paid we might be able to get a toicher that was able to teach more subjects that are now left out. Personally, I consider there are far too many subjects taught now. I would point out the Committee think the staff are doing the best they can, but the district ha* advanced s> much, and tlie iittendanee gone up at such a rate, that the school has grown ahead of the teachers, and some of the committee consider that if we had a change wo would probably get moie up-to-date teachers in the highest departments of our school. Of course, this is a matter that would require very carefully looking into, and the local committee has very little power to do anything in this matter even if they desired to do so. In conclusion, I will say there was nothing said at tho meeting that could not bo said in any public place. Trusting you will seo your way to publish this letter as your report of last week leaves the impression that the committee were making unpleasant remarks about the staff —I am, etc., C. K. Lawuie, Chairman of Committoo. I Mr Lawrio's letter is interesting. " Your report," lie says, "leaves the impression that tho committee were making unpleasant remarks about the staff." Well, to be frank, from tho staff's point of view the remarks were decidedly unpleasant. In the letter abovo (since the cat is out of the bag) Mr Laurie gives a mild version of what was really said, namely : " The school has grown ahead of the teachers," and "if we had a change wo would probably get more up-to-date teachers." If this means anything at all it means that in Mr Lawrie's opinion (and of the other members of committee to whom ho refers) the teachers alluded to are not qualified to hold their positions in the Pukekohe school. Mr Lawrio declares that " very little was said on the subject." Yet according to another member of the committee (Mr Pilkington) whoso let'er follows hereunder, the report was " somewhat c mdensod." As a matter of fact it was condensed—severely. If fully repoitod Mr Lawrie's " very little" would have run into half-a-columu at the least. If we did not know Mr Laurie so well we would suspect that while our reporter was sweotly dreaming our correspondent kept him good company in the happy land of slumber—and missed the discussion. --En.]