SCHOOL TEACHERS' TROUBLES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 9, 29 May 1914, Page 6

SCHOOL TEACHERS' TROUBLES.

A tOMi.-U M.N'U DEPUTATION NO UHvO.Ni) FOR ESQUIUY.

A deputation, which several members of the Taranaki Education Board dcci-ibed as illustrative of st-me of lliiiv leoubles 'of sehoud leathers, waited on liio Board on \\ tduoAkiy, Ito complain of the methods aiiwgod to have bjeit adopkd Ivy th e teacher o.' lJ.iLli.otu .schon!. One of thyi members of the board expressed the opinion tb.tt s.mie pireiu.s paid too mudi ■u.Liention to cltildi-.'h complaints a-gaiin'iit teachers.

Before the deputation arrived, some di.-ctis.siion took place on the position as disclosed by correspondence already Iv.iJjrc tho lioard.

Mr Young stalled that he had been informed 'that there wore only a small nutubur ti(t tilie ]iou»e!lirfders' meeting at which the deputation -was appointgd, and that uiuny of those who were pre--v.'iilt swii single; men. The Chief Inspector, quoting! from reports ic'ii tbe school since the present teacher took charge, Sitid that in 1013, in two quarterly report*', it was cla.s-s----e:l as excellent lin tone and discipline, and several subjects wore mentioned as having bicu mo-it intelligently taught. Previous bo .her advent (the. scheme had got into an inefl'icient .stalto, and was classed a.l oniy fair, or bordering on inferiority. The deputation, wlfich -consisted of four, and was 'headed" by, Mr Chapman, (Chairman, of Committee) then amvdd. Mr Chapman made complaints againslt the toachor, in which lie stated that she had punished the children too severely, and gave them too much home work to do. There had been dissatisfaction 'on those fault•» for two years, and the teacher 'had made promises of improvement which she had not carried out. He suggested that 'the Board go into committee 'cm the subject, but the ehairmart preferred ito hear this deputation out "before deciidiiig. Mr. T. P. Hughson also made a lengthy complaint. He said that tin dissatisfaction wjth (the teatSor bad been so great that he and cithers had been elected to the committee "on the expreyj ticket that they should secure a change." He slated that one of his boys had received 2S cuts on one occasion from the teacher, and Ids children were constantly set so mucik heme work that Itiliey could not do it. He read correspondence between hiniself and the Icac-lur, ■which shewed .that Hie luid stated at a he.il ic!-o!.ders'.m:!v l .ting that she had used curtain language to the children, and that -be had swnircsl from his son an apology tor having toJd his father that she made use of the words mentioned. This apology Wiis obtained, he claimed, only under coercion, and its wording had been dictated by the I eaciliiisr. He quoted figures to show that sonre. scventeHi children (.including his own) had been removed from the i-ehooil, and sent to others some distance away.

Other members of the de.putn.tbm Klipported 'him. Mr Adl'am: Are you in the habit of believing your children in preference to the teacher, without any enquiry? Mr Hughson: I ail ways make enquiries among the other children, and my charges have been borne out.

Mr Ifaleoimbe commented on the fact tihat the coimmittee .had not thought but to 'hold any enquiry.

Mr 'Morf.i'ii: You mentioni'il the "tie ke't" on whiie.h you were electe-l, J'"l. Hughson. Your action is now in pu.- -,'.:'. nee of that? Mr lliigkson: Yes.

Mr M'.rton: So. rightly or wrongly. y:iii wisih lo ha v.? this teacher removal.

Mr. Hughson: That is praelieally the tview taken at the

Another member ™a,lil that only jua tice was wanted.

iM'r Morton: Wa.-l the resolution pan: ed there ■unanimously?

Mr Chapman: Yes, I .put it myself. Mr Hugilvion admitted that the school had, pren'mu to the tiddler's ."dvent. been at a low ebb, but thought tha.l a (irm bland for six months- should -have put matters right. ■Mr Chapman said that there, were fifteen or eigfiu'Wvii ■hounefholdersi at the meeting.

After the deputation 'had; withdrawn, s-me ilfscussion took place, in which tho general opinion was expressed that tlra charges wore not .sufficiently snippoijted.

The ch-rr.win said tihat the t(W.>;cr. though alio had been at times !«-vere,.:hid done good work. Altilioliig.il the deputation had .said that cihildron were eonstanjtly iVaving school, the average attendance had not fluctuated much. He thoiifjUt the deputation represented only a small sr<cUon of the diytifiot. There was evidence that the 'teacher l''a.:l a good tell to put up with. He did not think there was sun-thing Ho enquire into, lie bad often .found that parents mad: st-'lteuienU which the children d's.l not bear out at the. enquiry.

•Mr Young said tihat the teacher had informed him that .-die was leaving of her own account in a. knv months' time. Many parenlts of large families had told him llhey were more tluuv. satisiied with the teacher.

Mr. Morton; These people were elected with the solo object of having lite leather removed. It was decided ithat there was not sufficient ground for an enquiry.