THE WASHDYKE SCHOOL

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2648, 15 September 1881, Page 2

THE WASHDYKE SCHOOL

[to the editor] Sir, —1 am afraid this school will yet be the death of Mr Balfour. 1 have read his letter three .times with tho hope' of finding out what he is driving at—l regret to say with only partial success. The only point I am able to discern is that three teachers are placed in the following order of merit, viz.;—First, Mr Walker (now of Wai-iti) ; second, myself; third, Mr W. Cuthbort, I haven’t the least objection to this placing, more especially as the middle man is proverbially the safest. (I am afraid there are certain who wont subscribe to it though.) I am not going to weary your readers with a reply to Mr Balfour’s letter, but I may just put it to those who take an interest iu the matter, whether from April 9, 1880 to April 30, 1881—(during which Mr Cuthbert had charge)—was not a sufficiently long long time in which to achieve better results than a percentage of 47 and a general condition characterised by the inspector as “ deplorable.” It must he remembered that for mouths before tho examination of the school in my time, 1 was contending against an infamous persecution, whereas my successor was enjoying the “ fatted calf,” and, under such circumstances, 1 think the report of November 17, lb? 9, may be fairly regarded as a good one. I think Mr Balfour had better " let sleeping dogs He ”; it is futile to attempt to blame me for tho shortcomings of in}' successor. I am afraid Mr (Balfour’s letter is intended to be not so much a blister for me as a plaster for somebody else iu the back ground whom Mr} Balfour would’nt like to quarrel with. The Washdyke School has had a good many changes of teachers, but it

has been wonderfully -blessed in a Chairmaipvhp sticks to office tikei I have 6nly td add, that iiii sptr.of things being a little “rough on me” there, I am pleased to know that though I had one enemy I had many friends, and I deeply,#egret that|they should have had ttf' suffer arum f he obstinacy of one individual. —I am, &c.. 3 J. KIRBY, • • (Sometime master of the School).- v n y - rt ■.% Ktrx a v