IN LIGHTER VEIN

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 375, 28 April 1910, Page 3

IN LIGHTER VEIN

TRIBULATIONS ()!•" A SCHOOL TEACHER. AMt'SJXCi AMENITIES AT MAIIOE. For some time past the Mahoe school has tilled the role of fun-producer for the Education Board meetings. the amusement arising out of the sometimes innocent, more often dangerous, letters ■written by the head teacher, Mr. S. Tnrlcington, concerning the school committee and its chairman, Mr. U. L. A. Astbury; and vice versa. They are not a happy family in.school life out there, and the marvel is that so far listicuil's have been avoided. Under existing regulations the Education Board has 110 .power to remove either a quarrelsome committee or a touchy teacher, but the problem will be solved, it is hoped, by the adoption of the. transfer system. Ma-hoe may in the near future once more settle down into a quiet and peace-loving community. Here are some sample letters:—

On the 23rd March the headmaster reported that, despite the fact that there was 110 legal justification for the act, Mr. Astbury had removed the logbook from the school. ABROAD BY NIGHT. It is advisable to delete some passages of the head teacher's letter to the Board under the date of 24th ultimo, but it was something like this: "'Since my bee-boxes, fowl-house, and fowls were blown up, and Mr. Astbury's remark (hat we would have a funeral in connection with the school, I have kept a diligent watch. At 8 p.m. on the 23rcl I was told there was a noise as if someone was entering the school through the window. I took my gun. and 011 entering the school I found in it Messrs. . the school gate open in liMlfl. There was also an associate, Mr. ——. They were in darkness. Three times 1 demanded what right had tliey in the school, when Mr. said, 'Get out of it.' I told them they had no right to enter the school in this way, and after making sure of those .present in the darkness I left. They made no attempt to light the lamp, and no person had asked for the key. Tliey afterwards removed some of the school furniture off the school grounds. T object to lie held responsible for school property for records if men are allowed to enter the school through the windows. In Mr. Harding's time his money, when the school was closed, was taken out of the school cupboard." On the following day the head teacher wrote that upon opening the school that morning (25th March) he found that the school lamp and all the school seats had been removed from the schoolroom, and lessons could not be proceeded with until they were replaced by the scholars. Mr. Turkington again referred to the log-book incident, stating that Mr, Astbury declined to return it, and asking for another. THE- EXPLANATION.

The teacher's letters were referred to the school committee for an explanation, and Mr. D. L. A. Astbury, the chairman, was authorised to re,ply. He wrote that on the evening in question a concert was being held in the hall (which is adjacent to the school), and the chairman of the haill committee asked him for the loan of a few: forms from the school to provide extra seating accommodation. Mr. Astbury, with the chairman of the hall committee and two others, proceeded to the school, where they found the outside door unlocked and the inner door locked. "On previous occasions I have approached Mr. Tuvkington to <ret the school key by attending his house, but he has refused to answer the door, possibly acquainting himself of his visitor's personality by peeping through the windows, so I have discontinued calls at Mr. T.'s residence. Hence my reason for opening one of the windows and unlocking the inside door. Mr. Turkington suddenly >put in an a.ppearance, marching in true military style with QUITE A BELLICOSE ATTITUDE, demanding in a kind of 'Who goes there?' style -who was in the room. I replied at once, 'We are loaning the school forms to the hall for this evening. What are you doing with the gun?' His reply was: 'I -have had fowls blown up and my property destroyed, so I have a right to protect my property.' 'But,' I said, 'these forms are not your property. The school committee is taking charge of them, and will take all responsibility.' or words to that effect, adding, 'Go inside your house, Mr. Turkington, and aon't make a fool of yourself.' He 'wisely withdrew, or the bald end of a form might accidentally have met some ipart of his anatomy. We are, as a rule, indebted to the hall committee, for the iree use of the hall ,piano as far back as we can remember for school concert purposes, and have used, as a quid pro quo, the school forms for occasions like this. We have never before had ia. lineal descendant of a notorious Biblical character to deal with, and are .sorry not to have the power to deal with such characters as was given to St. j'eter. "Mr. Turkington's remarks re beeboxes, fowl-liouse, and fowls being blown lip have never been brought under the notice of the school committee officially by Mr. Turkington. The committee. of course, are sorry for the fowls and the bees—but know nothing of the perpetrators.

ABOUT A FUNERAL. "Be Mr. Astbury's remarks about a funeral, Mr. Turkington was met one evening close to the school gate . . . between the shafts of his trap, arid Mr. Astbury remarked in all solemnity: 'Why, Mr. Turkington, I thought it was a funeral procession."' Mr. Astbury explained the loss of money by Mr. Harding, the previous headmaster. He had collected money from the children for school requi.-ites, and left it in an open tin in a place known to the children. The money disappeared. and the teacher recouped the coiiimitUe for the loss. it \va< decided to inform the eommi'lc" that it had no vower In remove M'lino! ■ ;-cMcr( (iv -chonl records from ■ lir .. '|/ II was ;;)so decided to inform the committee of the Board's adoption of the system of transferring teachers from one locality to another.