SCHOOL QUARTER FEES.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 270, 16 November 1887, Page 5

SCHOOL QUARTER FEES.

HOW THE MONEY GOES,

GARDENING, SPORTS, ETC.

Mr E, M. C. Harrison, Head-masber of the Beresford-street Public School, has written to the City Schools Committee as follow. : —" In reply to your inquiry I beg to state that the preparatory classes Nos. 1 to 4 are charged 3d per quarter, and Standards 1 to 6 are charged Is per quarter. Supplied to the preparatory classes : Slates, pencils, pencil-holders, chalk, ink, acid or other material. Standards 1 to 5 are supplied with slates, copy books, pencils, pencilholders, pen-holders, nibs, red ink, black ink, chalk, muriatic acid, sand paper, lead pencils, and in'addition supplied to the Pirst Standard. Apparatus and chemicals to the value of £12 have been gradually provided from this source, and prizes contributed to annual sports, etc., have also been aided from these contribution's. Our "garden" is kept in order, and many small expenses too trivial to trouble the Committee about are also defrayed by this means. Teachers' copies of all class books in use in tho various classes, foolscap for weekly and annual examinations (our consumption last year was over 8 reams), exercise books, memobooks for class use (records and lists) are also a charge upon this fund. These ore the chief items, but there are other small matters, insignificant in detail, but necessary, and amounting in the aggregate to a considerable amount. I have not experienced any friction in the collection of the quarter-money, which, so far as I know, the parents consider a reasonable and convenient means of providing necessary material. Of course, there are occasionally cases where persons are willing to get everything and unwilling to pay anything. There are also cases where parents ore really unable to pay, and these have been otherwise provided for. The total number of children under six years old is 34; of these 10 are 53. or slightly under, the remaining 24wi1l have completed the sixth year by the end of 1887. Owing to the crowded state of the class-rooms, I always dissuade parents where I can from sending their children under six. Most of them are reasonable, but, as you see, some of them send the children to school immediately on arriving at the age of 5. "