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South Canterbury Times. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1882.

The educational machinery seems to require frequent lubrication ; there is continual friction somewhere. We are inclined to fancy there is more continuous friction in South Canterbury than elsewhere in the colony. In other quarters there are occasional disturbances, but they are merely local, soon set right by a controlling hand. In this district, however, there is an incessant creaking and straining throughout the entire system. We are not disposed to lay all the blame upon the Board. It is customary in some quarters to do so, but the fault-finders are very slenderly informed of the delicate, puzzling, and difficult duties devolving upon the Education Board, or they would not so readily condemn that body. We give the Board credit for the best intentions ; at the same time, we must remind them of a familiar proverb concerning “good intentions,” and tell them plainly they are unconsciously laying the proverbial pavement. Their sins are of omission, rather than commission. They have, in short, exhibited hesitancy, timidity, and irresolution on so many occasions when decision, courage, and firmness were imperatively required, that they have now ceased to possess the influence they ought to have. The Education Act places the Board in charge of, and makes them responsible to the country for, the various schools of its district. Its authority is paramount. The Department does not fetter it in detail, requiring only a general conformity to the statute ; and the Board, therefore, is justified in assuming an attitude of authority toward all bodies and individuals within its jurisdiction, and in its service. This attitude it has always declined to assume, save in a mildly spasmodic way, and the consequence is that in some localities, things are going on very badly. The mistake the Board has made, has been, ont of a desire to respect and support the functions and status of Committees, to leave schools too much in the hands of local bodies. “ Let Committees hold snpervision of their respective schools, and report to us if anything is amiss,” says the Board. And in carrying out this idea they have been apathetic in regard to the progress of education and the welfare of the schools. The functions of school Committees were never intended to override, or render unnecessary, the plain duty of the Board. The Board’s right to keep a sharp look-out upon all its schools in no wise clashes with the rights of Committees. There have been disagreements between teachers and Committees, injurious conduct on both sides, unsatisfactory discharge of school duties in several quarters, and the Board has closed its eyes and waited, with the immobility of fatalists either for things to right themselves or for local bodies to move. Such a mode of conducting business is highly unsatisfactory. The tyranny of a dictatorship would be preferable. It is the duty of the Board to seek out abuses, wrongs, and malpractice, and to set down its foot vigorously upon any such. It was mentioned yesterday that the condition of one school was “notorious,” and that the objectionable state of things now disclosed had been long known, and an official report by an office* of the Board bore out this view of the case. Why has the Board allowed things to come to this pass ? Why was not the disclosure made long ago, and action taken upon it? If a school in the

Board’s district is in a disorganized state for three months, it is a disgrace to the Board to have allowed it to go on so long. To leave the discovery to the local body is a very arduous course, in the interests of the public. The local body may exercise supervision over the moral condition of a school, in addition to a useful watch over its external requirements, but it is incompetent to form a technical opinion about it. The Board has an officer for the purpose. Why is not that officer directed to speak out spontaneously ? He and his employers have no local prejudices, while local bodies cannot escape them. This shilly-shallying with the interests of the children—for such it is—is culpable in the extreme. We hope to see the Board take prompt action with a view to setting things right where they appear to be (and are notoriously) “ out of joint.” The “ Visitor ” difficulty, that “Old man of the Sea,” refuses to be shaken off. he cropped up again as fresh as ever. It was evident that an unseemly disturbance bad taken place on the premises of a certain school, between the master and the Visitor. It appeared that the Visitor had called at the school and (doubtless quite unconsciously) bad been guilty of an irritating manner. He bad walked into the schoolroom, and taken up a commanding position with his back to the fire ; he had, in presence of the children reprehendedthe master for alleged irregularity in the hour of opening school; and the parties had passed from recrimination to gross personalities, and finally to violence. The master it seemed, had been much irritated by the course pursued by the visitor, and had exceeded the bounds of discretion and decency—in fact a scene had occurred sufficiently remarkable to scare the children almost out of their senses. Now, a circumstance like this is must discreditable, but it was probably the result of misconception of duty and want of discretion in discharging a supposed duty. The Visitor in this case must either have held no commission to perform the office, or he must have been deputed by the Committee. If the former, he clearly had no business whatever to enter the premises as though he were duly commissioned,if the latter, he should have been scrupulously careful of the dignity of the master’s office, in the presence of children ; should have been courteous in demeanour, and should have abstained from any appearance of obtruding his authority or humiliating the teacher. The Admiral of the Fleet respects the Captain’s position on his own quarter-deck. The Master, on his side, should have commanded himself, preserved his own dignity, and sought his remedy in the proper quarter. They both erred, however. Let us trust the affair will be ended amicably and hereafter that both parties will be more circumspect. All these matters are very painful and show the necessity for radical changes somewhere. One of the most effectual safeguards within the immediate reach, is a sterner and stricter supervision of its schools by the Education Board.

A third meeting of burgesses is announced for this evening. It js very satisfactory to observe that public interest in the elections is alive, and we shall be glad to see a spirited contest for seats at the Council table. But we sincerely trust the burgesses have heard the last of personalities, and that the Chairman of to-night’s meeting will interpose his authority to check any possible indulgence in the objectionable pastime of mudslinging. We reported former utterances in this strain, but we do not desire any speaker to imagine that we intend to pander to a vulgar taste by a repetition in our columns of any objectionable matter. Those who perused the account of former meetings, thoughtfully, have been grieved to find personalities so largely imported into discussions of public matters ; and have, no doubt, formed a very decided opinion as to their propriety. We feel sure there is so much good sense in the community that no further abuse will be countenanced.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SCANT18820907.2.8

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2949, 7 September 1882, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,244

South Canterbury Times. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1882. South Canterbury Times, Issue 2949, 7 September 1882, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1882. South Canterbury Times, Issue 2949, 7 September 1882, Page 2

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