SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 96, 23 April 1906, Page 3

SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS.

(To the Edlter.)

Sir, —Amongst the important annual meetings, religious and secular, which come round with such rapid succession one after the other is the ahove, which takes place this evening throughout all the centres in which our public Board schools are located. lam quite sure I shall be voicing the feeling of each outgoing committee in urging upon parents and friends interested so deeply in the future of our rising youth to manifest such by attending the meetings to be held in each centre. A number of friends give their time very cheerfully when elected on our school committees to attend to the duties such positions demand from them, and I am bold to affirm that I believe such are conscientiously discharged to the best of their ability with the inadequate funds at their disposal for the improvements required. But, apart from this, there are great questions affecting the internal management of our educational system which demand united consideration and action. In a few short years our boys and girls will have to enter upon the busy stage of life to engage in its complex duties. The best we can bequeath to them is a very thorough grounding in all that pertains to the best equipment of a high standard of efficiency. We have under our Board of Education an efficient staff of teachers who are very faithfully doing excellent work m our seiiools. The ideal of par excellence has not yet been reached and each coming term should be entered upon with a laudable ambition to do better At these annual meetings opportunities are afforded to fre ? ly ana J vsc the general methods of the school svsteni each individual householder is called upon to support. And it is well that we should be_ perfectly conversant with all that is being done, and any new contemplated addition to an already overcrowded syllabus. Ihe technical schools we hope are doing good work in the preliminary of bringing into play the energy of young life for future usefulness. "Our school cadets are being trained in drill, etc. But we are glad that the Ponsonby School Committee some tune ago entered a strong protest against our boys taking up classfiring during school hours in order to secure the capitation allowance. Also the idea of these youths going "into camp - ' at stated intervals. Sir, am I not expressing the feeling of all in affirming such to be beyond the limits of State authorit3"? Give our boys and girls the practical knowledge so absolutely essential for future usefulness. Let the camp not encroach, upon one iota of "homelife"' in aiming to lay the foundation of character of the highest order. One more point I feel constrained to refer to. I have during my connection with our committee often thought with others that the Board of Education should supply at the lowest wholesale rates direct i from the producers all the: stationery for our public schools. And|Me needed repairs from time to time required should be done by contract. The tradesmen have to tender at low rates for their goods being supplied to public institutions. On the same linesj sir, should our school management be worked. We are aiming to do.our best wHh" the public money entrusted to us. U.nd if we can economise, and save for jother purposes requiring help, -we shall be follow ing "The more excellent wai."—l am. etc., J. BURTON, .Chalnntii Graf ton School Committee.