OKATO SCHOOL TROUBLES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 280, 25 November 1901, Page 2

OKATO SCHOOL TROUBLES.

As the outcome of the recent inquiry at the Okato school a public meeting of the householders wns lately held, the Rev. F. W. Young b, iog in the chair. The following resolutions were adop f ed, and have been forwarded to the Education Board :—"That this meeting of householders in Okato expresses its grave dissatisfaction with the result of the inquiry mode by the committee of the Education Board, and for the following reasons: (1) That whereas the inquiry was instituted to investigate four charges against the inspector, (hi moat important of the findings was on another matter altogether. (2) That whereas the lines of inquiry were strictly laid down by the Education Board in its memorandum to the School Committee, the committee of the Board departed from those lines and made charges in their report, for defence against which charges no opportunity has been afforded. Furthermore, tbis meeting is of the opinion that a gross miscarriage of justice has thus been effected with the sanction of the Education Board of Taranaki." " That this meeting request the Board to delay the annml examination until after the Board's next meeting, to give an opportunity for presenting to the Board petitions from the Okato district ; and points out to the Board that should the eximinntion take place next Monday, the schol will practically be closed through children being kept at t;ome."

We understand from the secretary of tbe Education Board that the chairman decided that it, was too late to alter the date of the examination.

The Wowing is a copy of the petition cireulat d for signature by the householders ; - We, the undersigned householders cf the Okato Sohool District, do hereby respectfully petition the Education Board to consider whether it be not advisable in the presont strained relations existing between Okato and the Board's Inspector, for the Biard to send an examiner other than Mr Spencer to conduct the forthcoming annual examination cf the school, and we consider this step highly necess.ry in the interests of education for the following reasons:—(l) The most important examination in a boy's elementary school career is that of passing Standard VI, Now the whole of Stindaid VI. in the Okato school is compssed of boys who at the recent j inquiry, gave evidence which led to a censure beiog passed on the Inspector. [How can those boys, human nature being as it is, be fairly examined except by a non-interested person? (2) A number of parents exprfsa mch indignation at tbe conduct of the inspector that they will not alio*? their children to be examined by him. The number of children thus offVcted through the indignation of parents is a considerable portion of the whole school,

Tho following memorial has also been drawn up for signature:—We the undesigned hnu-ehoiders of tbe Okato School District hereby expwss our greit si'isfuction with Mr Mcintosh's work in our sebco' during tbe pas', four year?, and testify to his lively interest in the best wilfare of the children ; we ds>r ply regret the uncallud for and unjustifiable treatment the Education I Board has mi.ted out to him, and we! i therefore respectfully petition th« I Board to reconsider its decisi n in adopting the report submitted by the Inquiry Committee.