Hon. Mr. F. H. May, C.M.G.,
Colonial Secretary.
Sir,
Queen's College,
30th March, 1909.
In connection with a minute of 25th March, 1909, in 9303/07, I have the honour to forward a Memorial from the Acting 2nd Master, Mr. E. Ralphs, writing on behalf of the entire Senior and Junior European Staff, and earnestly beg that it be laid before His Excellency the Governor for his early information and consideration.
2. Something closely akin to consternation was created among the European Members of the Staff, on Saturday last, when they received the news of the proposed transfer of Mr. G. A. Woodcock to Queen's College as Second Master: made effective, such a transfer would at once block the promotion of no fewer than nine Masters.
3. The fact that Mr. Woodcock, both in experience and standing, has been wholly dissociated from teaching for the lengthy period of over nine years, is a very powerful and essential argument against his transfer here. During that lapse of time, he cannot but have lost complete professional touch with educational work in its many varied phases: and, at his age, it would be difficult, indeed little short of impossible for him to regain that necessary sympathy with, and that equally necessary insight into schoolboy character which are vital concomitants of sound teaching, which are acquired only by continuous actual contact with school-life, and which are, unhappily, so rapidly and so easily lost through long interruption.