South Canterbury Times, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1880.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2358, 7 October 1880, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1880.

Woman’s rights appear to have found a valuable exponent in Miss Forbes of the Timaru State School. Mistress nominally, she is master in reality. If certain members of the School Committee speak correctly she is not merely master, but she exercises her authority with a dignified austerity that would do credit to a savage potentate. The chairman and a majority of the committee wince under an arbitrary form of petticoat government, but Miss Forbes laughs at their sufferings. Unlike the much lectured Caudle they refuse to accept the admonitions of their mistress with resignation, and they cannot turn her reprimands to jocular account. Miss Forbes has the advantage of some experience in committee warfare. Were she a novice in such matters she might be tempted to follow the example of the lady principal of the Invercargill High School and resign, but resigning is not her forte. She relies on the invulnerability of woman’s right and woman’s might combined, and she is determined to make herself a terror to evil-doers. Miss Forbes lias had more than one collision with the School Committee, but never has she asserted her superiority as on the present occasion. The slaughter has been immense, the bad blood spilled enormous. Timaru, for the time being, is converted into a Homan ampithcatre, with the parents and school children for the audience, the Education Board forming the Imperial umpires, and Miss Forbes in the capacity of leading gladiator. A young girl graduate is introduced to the arena as fourth mistress, but is immediately discomfited, Again she is put forward in the humble capacity of pupil teacher only to fall back into the hands of her seconds mortally wounded. The head master with his awe-inspiring cane is

trotted out against the reigning gladiator, but no sooner does he attempt to assert his supremacy than he is served with, a writ of ejectment, and summarily bundled back to his own department. The Committee despairing over their thwarted designs and vanquished champions, demand a truce, but Miss Forbes declines a compromise and declares war to the knife. The spectators of this series of conflicts have been too astonished to applaud, and perhaps too dismayed to interfere. In plain words, Miss Forbes has so far, led the Committee a merry dance. She has snatched the scholastic reins from their hands, and she persists in driving the education coach herself. That she is a skilled and accomplished driver, no one will deny, but the team she has is kicking hard at the traces —Mr Walcot particularly. It is said of Lady Jeffers of the far famed “ Groves of Blarney ” There’s castles round her that no nine pounder Could dare to plunder her place of strength; But Oliver Crummel, he did her pummel, And made a breach in her battlements. It remains to be seen whether Mr Walcot at the head of certain members of the School Committee will be able to emulate “ Oliver Crummel ” in this instance. Under ordinary circumstances we should feel inclined to sympathise with Miss Forbes if only on account of her sex. Everyone who has perused the nursery talc of l! Beauty and the Beast,” must have contracted a wholesome regard for loveliness in distress. The representative of one of the three Graces who danced attendance on Venus, beleaguered by five Committee men, a head master, and a a small army of pupil teachers is enough to put the gallantry of even a womanhater on his mettle. But in this instance there is hardly need, much less room, for sympathy. The grey marc is the better horse. The vindicator of women’s rights and teachers’ rights combined is in her clement. She has sharpened her weapons, buckled on her armour, and she is prepared to do or die. To load her with sympathy now would only be to embarrass her. The Committee has appealed to Caisar, and before Ciesar the battle must be fought out. Delay only fans the fierceness of the struggle. It is evident that one or the other must succumb. If Miss Forbes triumphs five committee-men must die. Her last letter has the true ring of a challenge. Pointing to the girl-graduate army who have profited by her tuition, she says in effect:— These arc Clan Alpine’s warriors true, And Saxon I am Rhoderick Dhu. Altogether the quarrel is a pitiful one. It is not highly creditable to either side. It arose out of a very trivial misunderstanding, and it has gone to a length that is quite unnecessary. If the Education Board has to decide between the belligerents they will have an exceedingly dillicult task to perform. A sacrifice is demanded, and however justly they may endeavor to act they will give mortal offence to one side or the other. The Committee-men are not unanimous, and the head mistress, with all her alleged imperfections of temper, has many devoted admirers,because of her acknowledged accomplishments. She unites the qualities of an experienced teacher, with the stern attributes of a commander. If, however, she is to be retained in the Timaru SchoolSsteps must be taken to provide her with a loyal Committee. In the meantime the school is in an uproar and discipline seems at an end, and it is to be feared that whatever may be the upshot of the struggle, the cause of education must temporarily suffer. What a capital opportunity for the new Convent !