Elgin School Enguiry.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XII, Issue 2404, 13 July 1891, Page 2

Elgin School Enquiry.

REPORT OF THE COMMISSION.

7'he following report, with its recommendations ? was adopted by the Board of Education afc its last meeting, The Committee appointed for the purpose have carefully investigated the complaints preferred by the Elgin Committee against Mr Bramley. There were six charges m all,: — 1, For inflicting excessive, brutal, and disgusting punishment. % Eqr refusing children permission to leave "the schoolroom ' for necessary purposes. 3. For giving too many and too difficult home lesson?}. 4. For expelling -\yiljiain Gochrane without gnuse. 5. For leaving the sohooi during school hours without leave, 0. For generally disregarding the wishes of the Committee. j To support the very serious accusations of excessive flogging, <£c, there were but four witnesses called, namely, Jessie iSkilling, Jane Kennedy, Hugh Kennedy, 1 frnd Jj»mes Gilmour, children of some of ,the Committee, and of thjj respective ages of 13, il, 14, and 11 year's. It was clearly established that as a rule . one stroke of the cane on the hand has ' been the usual penalty for misconduct j '

extreme cases, however, have been visited by two, three, or four cu's. It was Hot suggested that the cane has been wielded with undue force, and all concerned agreed that the weapon has never been applied to other pans of the body, - . It is true that a year ago, when Jessie Shilling received one cut, the end of the rhumb was blistered, and that a small quantity of matter, about a penful, was discharged therefrom. Yet the master m our opinion wis unaware of. the condition of the finger wheu he .used the cane. The child suffered neither pain nor inconvenience from the mishap. In the case of Jane Kennedy, the master no doubt on one-occasion ad* ministered four separate punishments of one cut each during the morning. The circumstance happened some months ago. Beyond redness of the skin no unhappy consequences resulted from the chastisement. The parents did not complain to the master, and Mr Kennedy when under examination said, "I do not complain so much of the punishment as of the slow progress made by the children." There was nothing to show that the caning was undeserved, though there was enough evidence to prove the unprepared condi tion of the home lessons. In punishing Hugh Kennedy some time ago the nail of tiie thumb was blackened. No inconvenience therefrom appears to have been sustained by the lad. It is worthy of remark that while the boy and his father deposed to the state of one Jfingar, Mrs Kennedy told us that "at least four of the fingers were discolored." James Gilinour a year ag« received two canings m one day, two cuts b«ing administered on each occasion. The lad drove home some two or three hours afteiwards, and upon arriving there he imagined the room to be full of smoke, whereas the atmosphere was quite clear. It was impossible' or us m the circumstances, however, to attribute the apparently sudden dizziness to the punishment inflicted. That sometime ago Mr Bramley slapped the heads of two or three of the children is clew : he has however discontinued the practice—on a which every person must deprecate. Oorporel punishment upon girls, except m extreme cases, is very objectionable, and should be avoided. • We think charge No 1 has completely broken down. That kvo children wetted their clothes m school cannot be denied: at the same time it is doubtful whether the master whw the children's signal of distress, a raised hand. In dismissing this ground of complaint, we think a different sgn, one of a more pronounced yet modest •character, should be provided for chillren attending the smaller schools. Whether home lessons should or should not be permitted is a question that need not be discussed m this memo:—lt is sufficient to say that m our opinion the lessons complained of were not upon the who! •unreasonable. But whether or not the evil existed, the chairman cf the committee admitted that since the last examination there has been nothing to complain of m that respect. We regret exceedingly Mr Bramley's action m expelling William Cochrane. We are not satisfied the boy committed the offence (uttering a lie) of which the mailer found him guilty, and on account of which he wa? dismissed from the school. We also think Mr Bivunley was injudicious and indiscreet m interfering with the innocent observance by the children of both sexes of ''All Fools' day." Mr Kennedy's reflections upon the master's prjwjrs to impart instruction are groundless, and m view of the evidence we will p^ss theiu by without further remark or comment. VV c think the porch should not have beencouvei ted into aschoolroom during the winter months, and that Mr Bramley should have endeavored to meet the wi-shes of the parents m fixing the time of arrival and - departure of the infant scholars. Charge No. 5 is too trivial to further deal with, and we think the differences between the master and the Committee on the subject of the horse and cow can well be left to them to adjust, We nevertheless regret to say that the relations between Mr Bramley and the Committee have not been and are not likely to be happy. Neither side has been prepared to yield to the other. The principle of giving and taking has been apparently lost sight of, and the master has at all events treated the Committee with indifference. While we chink the notion of the Committee has been irritating, we cannot absolve Mr Bramley from blame ; be has been lacking m tact an 1! judgment, virtues which we hope may be acquired by time and exparience. As m our opinion Mr Bramley's future efforts at Mgin must prove to- a large extent powerless for good, and as the interests of the children are superior to all other considerations, we are constrained to advise that Mr Bramley be requested to resign. We were much impressed with the appearance of the school and its internal arrangements, and m view of all the circumstances we think this report should not disqualify Mr Bramley for future employment. (Signed) Thos. S. Weston, Thos. H. Anson. J. V. Colbokne-Veel.