The Akaroa Mail. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 1903 INCIDENTALS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume LIII, Issue 2766, 15 April 1903, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 1903 INCIDENTALS.

The election of School Committees is fast approaching, and it is time we turned our thoughts in that dirertion. It may be. that in the opinion of some, the constitution of these committees is of little importance, as they have so little real power and are simply the local administering body ; but, to us, their duties appear of great moment, and we t'dnk we should take excessive care to see that we place these dut ; es in capable hands.

It i. true that the Board's Inspectors judge of the capability of the teachers and the value of the instruction given ; true, also, that their Bui' Jing Inspector is the person who _ ally decides whether the school buildings are in proper order; but the visits of these busy gentlemen are very fe.. and far between, and, in the intervals the every day conduct of the school is in the hands of the Committee. To th n is entrusted the important duty of seeing the school premi. ..s axe kept properly clean and so pre. Tvr.g the health of the scholars, and also to see that the educational mill grinds smoothly and efficier.ly without too many jumps and jerks, and stop abuse of any kind that may have crept in between the visits of the Inspectors. In their care, too, is the important duty of making the school effective and popular by encouraging an esprit dv corps amongst the pupils; of encouraging manly sport, amongst the boys, and gymnastics amongst the girls, trying to ensure healthy bodies and consequent healthy minds. The due encouragement of industry and progress is also amongst their functions, and this duty certainly requires especial care. A i school without an annual school gather-

ing that can be looked back upon as the years gather on is not a properly conducted school. There should be some fixed date, which should be looked forward to year after year, when a day's enjoyment should be given to the scholars to terminate with][a general assemblage of the pupils, teachers and parents, when those children who have distinguished themselves can publicly receive their reward- We are strongly opposed to indiscriminate prize giving, and think presenting a reward to each child, whether they have done! ill or well, is an absurdity calculated to do away with all healthy rivalry and grind down the youngster generally to an unpleasant mediocrity. Let the prizes be few, dillicult to gain and eagerly competed for if any school is to attain a high standard of excellence. In some Peninsula schools this annual gathering is regularly held, and, in every case, with very good eflect; but in some the prize-g'ving is altogether too indiscriminate to please us.

In order to enable the School Committees, however, to carry out thenduties at all efficiently, they must have a decent amount of " Incidental Fund " at their disposal. As we all know it was recently reduced very considerably, and there has been great difficulty in carrying on at all in many schools ever since. Steps are being taken by the members of the House to attain this end, and Mr W. 0. Aiken, in a sensible letter to the " Lyttelton Times," says :—" Duri ing last session of Parliament about forty members waited upon the head of the Government and obtained from him a promise that the sum of .£4OOO would be earmarked and promptly sent to the Education Boards in the colony, to be distributed amongst the School Committees as incidental allowance, on the basis of average attendance of scholars beyond a certain number. The promise was also made that the vote for this special purpose would be permanently increased by the same

.urn. Nearly twelve months have passed, and the Boards know nothing whatever about this money, nor can they obtain any satisfaction from the Department of Education in Wellington concerning it. The Premier is now in this district, and I would suggest to our School Committees the advisableness of appointing a deputation to wait upon him and ask him to use his influence in the matter. The money was voted for a special purpose, and our principal schools are languishing for want of more funds to provide actual necessaries. Why has this not been paid . The question is sure to be brought up at the householders' meetings on A piil 27, and it would be well if the outgoing committees were prepared with an answer. J here are a good many very loose screws in the Education machine in Wellington, and a little tightening up by a strong hand might in this inshance have the desired effect."

We hope this will be borne in mind by our new Committees, and that they v .11 spare no pains to secure a sufficient amount to carry o;_ the schools really efficiently.