SHANNON SCHOOL HEADMASTERSHIP.

Shannon News, 11 June 1929, Page 3

SHANNON SCHOOL HEADMASTERSHIP.

FIFTH APPOINTMENT MADE. FOUR TEACHERS REFUSE POSITION. The present system of making appointments to school leaching' staffs has led to a very unsatisfactory position in regard to the Shannon School. After going through' all the protracted formalities of advertising by the Board, application by eligible candidates, and appointment, by the Board, no fewer than four headmasters have refused the vacant position. Mr White, the retiring headmaster, went away at the end of February, and it will be another month before the latest appointee can take up the duties. This means that for four months'at the beginning of the school year, ’when the foundations of the work are being laid, the school has been in a state of uncertainty,.and staff disorganisation that has certainly not been in the interests of the scholars. The acting-Headmaster has “carried on” with commendable ability during this period, but the conditions have certainly not been in the best interests of the scholars, and the Commit tee. and parents have every cause for indignation at the treatment the school has received. There should be some responsibility on teachers applying for positions to take up the appointment, made. Otherwise it would appear that the present system of appointment operates more in the interests of the teaching profession than of the children themselves. These remarks may not apply in a case where the. reason is illhealth, but it is obvious that the Shannon Committee would be within its rights in requesting the reason for the repeated refusals of the Shannon Headmastership by applicants. Advice was received on Friday from the secretary of the Wellington* Education Board by Mr A. E. Hyde, chairman of the Shannon Committee, that the appointment of Mr Roc, of Paraparaumu, as headmaster at the school, had been cancelled, owing to a request being granted to the latter that lie be relieved from the position on account of ill-health, and that Mr L. Marks, of Kakalii, near Te Kuiti, has been appointed to succeed him, subject to the Committee’s confirmation.

This made the 4tli applicant appointed to the position, who had turned it down and Mr Hyde immediately got into 'communication with Mr Stewart, the Bo'ard’s secretary, to ascertain the cause. Mr Stewart informed him that the Board regretted the position that has arisen in Shannon' but in Mr Roe’s'case the latter had already applied for sick ldave, which had been granted, and he had since' asked to berelieved of his appointment to Shannon as he felt that in his l present state of health he would not be able to do justice to a setfool the sire of Shannon. Therefore, the Beard felt that under the circumstances he should be relieved of the position. Mr Hyde also drew Mr Stewart’s, attention to the fact that one of the teachers had received notice that owing to the attendance not being up to that required by the school’s grading, her services were to be dispensed with. Mr Stewart stated that the notice was a formal one, and assured Mr Hyde that it would enforced during this year. It is sincerely hoped by all that nothing will prevent the new appointee, Mr Marks, from taking up the duties of headmaster as early as possible and thus pren-it the school to settle down to its work.