THE FEATHERSTON SCHOOL DIFFICULTY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1502, 6 October 1883, Page 2

THE FEATHERSTON SCHOOL DIFFICULTY.

The following is the report of the Bev J. Patenon and the Chairman ot the Education Board re Featherston school .- The committee appointed by .and to inquire into and report to the Board on the matters in dispute between the Featherston School Committee and the head master proceeded to Featherston on the 17th inst, and there met. the school committee and the head master. From an examination of the minhtea, it appears that at a meeting held by the school committee on the 29th' June" th« following resolution was'passed :—"That borne work for children be-discontinued." It does not appear that the head teacher was in nuy way consulted about this important change in school method, . On the 6th of July he received the follownm notice from the Secretary pf the school committee ! " I am instructed by the committee to inform you that they have deoided-that home-work for Ibe children should > discontinued forthwith." \ \y . The meeting of-tue 29th of.Juffltoas adjourned m the following wordi; the committee meet in a fortnight," bqt un looking at the minutes these words were scored out. This alteration of the minutes was made at the meeting held on the 27th July, hut we think wrongfully, On receiving the order of the committee to discontinue home-work the head teaohet' septus to have obeyed, but on the 12th July addressed the following letter to ilio school committee (see papers.) Ou the 13th July a meeting m held of certain members „f the 0.-minin.,. apparently in response to the adjournment of the 29th June. At this meetm" the Utter from the Head Teacher w« considered, and i his is the Secretary of the school committee's account of what took place at tint meeting, nn minutes having been ukeq. On ihe 29th June the committee adjoined until the 13th July for tho of lGcpivrnt; and considei;ing jut of articles reqjtired for tho school. At tins adjourned meeting Mr Tuckey handed infos quartet report, in which 1)0 asked tjjp ppnjtnitieq to reconsider t||e questjon'of hmjse wp ( ijc j t)jp ooinmitfefi at t|)at meptiqg dcpidei} tn aljow A{t Tupkey to coptipehpp lessons W purarily qqtjl tip matter \ w funljer considered. (See letter,) This resolution was not gommnnioated io Mr Tuokoy, but, hearing some limo afterwards from o'niTof the sohool committee, who was present at this adjourned meeiing, what took place, he seems to have felt justified in resuming the home work, and also, with less discretio i, to speak and write as set forth m doctmionts attached.

41 top stage ll)e dispute soeini to have tocine atjiiie. On the 37th July the school cuijimii'tefl held [fleeting, tl|o previous resolution" m 9 pmili/mpd, but apparently no notice wij.i lakei} of % Tupkey's jeifer, Uu ihp Jfjth Aqjjqji tho comiqitteg he d a special minting, ap whiph. lh H following proceeding tool; pjace. (See documents attached). .Mr Tuckey's answer to die allegation that he had failed to obay ilm committee, and furnish the report of the home work :iskod for on the lOlh says, that he duly prepared the report, and placed. it addressed to the Chairman of the committee on the table in the room where the committee meets j but the committee whose rule it was to meet 011 the last Erjday jn caqh- month, mep on fhfi) occasion, oi, ijje g^liAugust Wqnom Mr Tuckey receiving no noiiijcation of the alteration laid hig report on the tiib|e. on thp gist, (he ijsual 'meeting night. Qn the following day, he fnqqd tlje repqrt Where he had placed idlie night before, and he took possession of it. On the 24th the school commitee (see report Slat Au«ust) passed the following resolutiou (see doouments), These are the apparent facts relating to the case so for as they have come under our cognisance.

That a gradual heat has been evolved is doubtless only too true, but the facts scarcely warrant it. W« were very much inpresaed with the fair-mindedness of the members of the School Committee, and ns the bare facta did not acoount (in our opinion] for llje trqulile, we appdaUfq thetn in the. fnieffista of ihe'sehool to M) 'eavpr to come tq a fripgdly arrange^ l|K'llt :

'•V,i availed ogrselvps of the opportunity in inspect the school uiidwero favorably iinj/ftwd wjth all p saw The oomimit.ee seem to have laken great interact in the school, judging from Its equipment, The school was clean and bright, and it was a pleasure to look at the children. We have stated the facts as briefly as possible. W e are unable to recommend ' that the resolution of the committee be given ellect to, viz., "Togive themsslk the legal notice" We do not nvorl§B the fact that very considerable and ai|R, feelings have been raised, but woliopej tliev ae. not general, but are confined to a e mparatively narrow circle. If we are ng.-.t, time,-and the exercise of a little funearanoe on the one hand, and dijcretmn.on the other, will set matters right - ■ ■•■ "■■ ■ "•' • "

We have only to add that wo have examined the leasuns fur home work, which lire the ostensible cause of all this trouble, So far as we are able to form an opinion, we think they are fairly reasonable, but we haVe obtained and submit samples to the Board for its own satisfaction. We have, etc,, J.R. Bum, James Patterson.