THE WYNDHAM-STREET AUTOCRACY,

Observer, Volume 5, Issue 131, 17 March 1883, Page 419

THE WYNDHAM-STREET AUTOCRACY,

Some few weeks ago 'the, burgesses of. Parnell elected as one of their School Committee a'gentleman who happens to be assistant master in another, suburban school, and by the committee then elected this gentleman was made their chairman. These proceedings appear to have caused great consternation in a certain office in Wyndhamstreet, and steps were at once taken to upset the designs of the Parnellites. It was doubtless felt to be a monstrous thing that any committee should have as one of its members a man who would certainly bring both knowledge and experience to assist in carrying out any business they might be called upon to transact. The autocracy in Wyndham-street did not want that. It did not matter that the committeeman ,(now chairman) was elected at the head of the poll, that he is a most popular man of acknowledged merit and experience, of a nice discriminating judgment, without prejudices of any kind, and withal most courteous and kind in his dealings with any who might be subordinated to his authority. All this mattered nothing at all. The fiat went forth. " Give up your seat as chairman and committeeman, or be no longer officer of mine."

At another election of a School Committee in a country district in the North the school master (innocent but misguided youth) expressed a laudable desire to see a committee elected the whole of the members of which should be able to read and write. He was very properly snubbed for his pains and 'told that it was no part of his business to interfere. What next would he want ? He would probably be insisting that all Inspectors of Schools should be experienced teachers, and that the Secretary of the Board should be able to write after the model of Yere Foster. Schoolmasters will take these things to heart and fully understand in future that the expression of their opinions on any matters connected with their work is altogether undesirable, that they are expected to obey blindly and unhesitatingly the dictates of those whose servants they are. But the question will arise how to make sycophants and toadies ? Our PJD. says his father was present at the election and told him that Mr Talbot was elected by four voters who each gave him seven votes, and so carried him to the head of the poll.