TEACHER DEFENDS TURANGI DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL FACILITIES

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 36, 11 May 1965, Page 8

TEACHER DEFENDS TURANGI DISTRICT

HIGH SCHOOL FACILITIES

A Turangi schoolteacher, Mr H. I. Dowrick, has taken the Taupo Times to task for its Editorial on Education at Turangi, published on May 4. His remarks, together with those of the Editor, follow: —

Sir, — The Press has *assumed foj.' itself. in British countries the title of the "Fourth Estate" and accepted the role of being a foruni for the discussion of public issues. When this task is attempted it is one of public usefulness and to be commended — but certain responsibilities are inherent there in. Of these, the most important, and obvious, is to present its cas-e fairly and fully, having .made sufficient enquiry to be in possession of all the relevant and available information. It is in this respect, sir, that your Editorial of May 4 falls short of the accepted canons of responsible journalism: I quote your statement that, "at Turangi .. . . on the face of it (sic) . . . the education facilities in the initial stages have been and will be, deplorable." * Further, "present educational plans will produce a generation of children fit only for labouring workv" You had a clear duty, sir, and failed to fulfil it, to find out what facilities do exist at Turangi and what parents coming here may expect to find for their children. You may be surprised to learn, for example, that there is a full staff in the secondary department of the District High School (unlike Benneydale, Reporoa or some other centres in this district), that this staff includes as high a proportion of University graduates as there is in the secondary teaching profession as a whole, that these teachers include the only grade 5 teacher in any North Island District High School, that non-graduate teachers are all equipped by University or other professional studies to teach the subjects t.hey are responsible for, and finally, that in the primary department there is a full staff of trained teachers.

The District High School is staff ed to cater for courses leading to School Certificate and in 1964 by its examination successes showed that the public may have confidence in the school as a capable institution to prepare able children for vocations other than the labouring work you so slightingly would consign them to. You would have been on firmer ground had you spoken with knowledge of the buildings and physical amenities at present available. However, the puhlic is entitled to know that both Ministry of Works and Department of Education are insistent that completed buildings for a Form 1 - 6 high school (rather larger than Taupo College, probably) must be ready by February 1967. Adequate provision is being made for the intervening year and a-half. The local community, through its school committee may be relied on to press the South Auckland Education Board to keep to the estimated timings for opening of the new Turangi High School and there is no reason to doubt that the officers of the Education Board are equally anxious to meet the needs of this new and challenging situation. I may say that your editorial has had a disheartening effect upon my colleagues; it is insulting to members of both the New Zealand Educational Institute and Post Primary Teachers' Association; it could be harmful to future recruiting of teachers were

its contents to be circulated widely. I look forward to your withdrawal and apology. — Yours, etc., H. I. DOWRICK, M.A., Dip.Ed., Senior Assistant, Turangi District High SchooL Mr Dowrick: Your letter opens up rather >a large range of subjects, but to take them in order, it would be fair to say first that your use of the Latin adverb (sic) is somewhat misleading in that the quotation is neither complete nor correct. However, it should be made plain that there was no criticism of the present facilities or teaching staff at Turangi either intended or implied in the Editorial in general, or in the particular paragraph to which you refer. This read: "But at Mangakino, and, on the face of it, at Turangi, the education facilities in the initial stages have been and will be deplorable." But, this newspaper, along with the project engineer of the Tongariro power development, Mr A. W. Gibson, feels that when the population explosion comes at Turangi in the next few months, the present excellent facilities will be strained to the utmost. So far as the Form 1 to 6 High School is concerned, this information has been in our hands for some months, but the Taupo Times was not prepared to release it to the public in advance of the Minister of Education, whose prerogative it is. Neither would your immediate superior, Mr G. W. Grave, for the same reason. Since Mr Grave, in a private letter to the Editor, explicitly says he does not "for a moment suggest retractions or apologies," we feel sure he is aware that no slur or insult. was made or intended. The Taupo Times will always be ready to further the cause of education and willingly supports Mr Gibson in his appeal for better facilities sooner at Turangi. — The Editor.