LANSDOWNE SCHOOL APPOINTMENTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3111, 9 February 1909, Page 5

LANSDOWNE SCHOOL APPOINTMENTS.

WHO IS TO BE HEADMASTER?

BOARD AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE AT VARIANCE. COMMITTEE TAKE A FIRM STAND, OTHER APPOINTMENTS MADE. The question of making appointments to the permanent teaching staff of the new Lansdowne School was dealt with toy the Lansdowne School Committee at its first meeting last evening. A communication was read from the Wellington Education Board on the qu°stion of the appointment of a headmaster to the effect that the Board hid carefully con-' sidered a petition presented to it by residents of Lansdowne, recommending the appointment of Mr G. Jones, headmaster of Te Ore Ore School, to the position, but it had telt that in view of the superior claims of other applicants on various grounds it could not include Mr Jones in the three names finally selected by the Board out of thirty-one applicants for the Committee to make a selection from. The letter stated that it would take care to safeguard the interests of Mr J ones, and pointed cut that there could be no loss of salary to Mr Jones for at least a year, and then only if ths average attendance of his school were reduced from 60 to 25 —a very remote possibility —or for two years, unless the mean average fell to 30, or for three years unless the mean average for the three years -fell to 35. It was also pointed out that the Board would, under the Act just coming into operation, use its powers to appoint Mr Jones to a school equal to the Te Ore Ore should his position suffer through the opening of Lansdowne School. The Chairman (Mr P. L. Hollings) said he felt somewhat disappointed over the action of the Board in the matter, feeling that the Board had not given that consideration to the question which it should. The gentleman selected for the position by the Board as first nominee held no higher qualification than Mr Jones, and, moreover, had a better school, and stood to gain nothing by coming to Masterton. The action of the Education Board meant & serious injustice to Mr Jones, whose salary would certainly be in jeopardy on account of the fact that his school attendance would fall to a very low average indeed. Mr Jones had earned the confidence of parents, and had done the pioneering in the district, being thus entitled to first consideration on the claims of the Board. Mr Hollings said he had framed a resolution to be sent to the Bv/ard, which was as follwos :

"That the Committee regrets it is unable to approve of the Board's nomination, for position of headmaster, and respectfully requests the Board to reconsider same, for the following reasons: —(1) That Mr G. Jones, who has been tha schoolmaster in the Lansdowne district for some years past, has a first claim to the position; (2) that it is the unanimous wish of the parents of the children, as expressed in the petition now before the Board, that Mr Jones should hold the position; (3) that the qualifications of Mr Jones are equal to those of the first nominee of the Board, both holding a D.I. Certificate; (4) that the Board has unintentionally misled the applicants for the position by advertising the attendance at 200, when, in point of fact the attendance is not likely, for some years to come, to exceed 100. and the Board's first nominee's position is more valuable to him than the Lansdowne School is likely to be for some years to come; (6) that Mr Jones, the present Lansdowne schoolmaster, knows what the attendance is likely to be, and is willing to accept the position; (7) that if Mr Jones is passed over, his present po3ition at Lansdowne will be ruined, as most of the children from his present school are being transferred to the new school; (8) that Mr Jones is entitled to the promotion to the new Lansdowne School, inasmuch as he has coiled in the district for some time at a considerable disadvantage to himself, waiting for an improvement in the district, and now that the district has improved, it is unjust to deprive him of it; (9) that the whole of the residents of Lansdowne, including the Committee, will be bitterly disappointed if Mr Jones is refused the position, as it will mean his removal from tne district, which everyone is anxious to avoid." The motion was seconded by Mr Ross.

Mr J. C. Ewington supported the motion. Either the Board or the Committee hac] to make an appointment, and if it were to be the Board they should do it, but if the Committee were to have any power they should use.it. The speaker felt that in the circumstances outlined by the motion, the Committee should take a firm stand. If the Board made the appointment they tuok the full responsibility. Other speakers agreed that- the Committee should hold out firmly against the Board's action. The motion was carried unanimously. The other appointments were then dealt with, and the following were recommended to the Board for the positions stated-.-First mistress, Miss I. Inrns (sole teacher, Mangatahi); second assistant teacher, Miss L. Robinson (relieving teacher at Lansdowne). The Board notified that applications were being re-called for the position of first assistant master. In regard to the foregoing appointments, the Board meets on Saturday, when it is probable that the assistant teachers selected will he approved by the Board, as the applicants were recommended by the Board to the Committee as suitable for the positions.