THE MANCHESTER GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
you allow me to correct a mistake which occurs in the postscript of the letter from "An Assistant-Master " in the Spectator of May 11 ? Your correspondent says that " if he is correctly informed, Mr. Walker dismissed six of his colleagues from Manchester Grammar School." His information is incorrect, in- asmuch as I myself, and two of my late colleagues, resigned our masterships, and were not dismissed.
Into the merits or demerits of our controversy with Mr. Walker I do not wish to enter. The public press of Manchester discussed the question in all its bearings at the time, and was unanimous in- our favour. But I quite agree with your correspondent as to the advisability that there should be a court of appeal. As matters now stand, assistant-masters are in an anomalous position. In all cases of dispute between superior and subordinate officers in the- Army or Navy, the latter have the chance of having their case fairly and impartially judged by a court-martial. But when a head, master thinks that he has grounds of complaint against an assistant-master, the latter has no appeal, and must submit at once to the decision of the former. If again, an assistant-master thinks that he has grounds of complaint against his head master, there is no one to whom he can prefer that complaint, and he is- reduced to the necessity of either resigning his appointment or of so placing his complaint before his superior as to evoke from him, almost certain dismissal.
The public generally regard the prosperity of a large school as- solely dependent on the head master, and are apt to ignore the- scarcely less important influence of his staff. Those who really know the secret of success in our great schools could inform the- public that it lies in the hearty and sympathetic co-operation of all the masters for the welfare of the boys entrusted to their care.. But so long as the assistant-masters continue to be responsible to an absolutely irresponsible chief, this feeling cannot be expected. to exist, and—experto crede—does not.—I am, Sir, &c., ARTHUR G. SYMONDS,
late Assistant-Master at the Manchester Grammar School'.
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