"THE CRY OF THE CHILDREN."

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 88, 13 April 1904, Page 7

"THE CRY OF THE CHILDREN."

HOW A CHILD IN THE COUNTRY SPENDS HER DAY. A PATHETIC COMPOSITION. This morning the Education Board received some pathetic evidence of the hardships which many country children \ undergo. Mr E. K. Mulgan," inspector! of schools, forwarded to the chairman i of the board a composition exercise, as! showing the difficulties which beset the! path of education in many of the country districts. The exercise, said Mr! Mulgin, was written by a fifteen-year-old Standard 111. pupil on the subject S of '"What I do in a day," and it was, he ! believed, a fairly accurate account of a! day's work, and represented without exaggeration the life led by many chil-1 dren in the back blocks." "That our! teachers in the face of these difißculties.l have been able to do so much." said Mr Mulgan in conclusion, "speaks highly for I their efficiency and zeal, and is thebesti of all answers to those who would be-j little our system of primary education." I The composition was as follows: "I rise at half-past four. Before breakfast! I light the tire, go and get wood and a bucket of water, put on the kettle, set I the table. Then go and help in with the cows, and start to milk. What I do before noon. I come in from milking I wash up the dishes. Then I go for the j potatoes peal them then I go and make! the beds and sweep out the house. I put on the potatoes at eleven o'clock | and have dinner at twelve. Afternoon j I help to wash up the dishes. Then Igo j and help my mother through her work. iln the evening I feed the calves I go and milk. After I have done milking I come in and get the tea ready. Give S—, W —, and R —■ their tea, hear S— his lessons. Then put them to bed. After j tea I wash up. Learn my lessons and go to bed at nine o'clock." \ The communication, which was handed round to members of the board, was given to the preas for publication. Mr Luke said it disclosed a terrible state ofl affairs.