ENGLISH IN SCHOOLS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 260, 2 November 1929, Page 8

ENGLISH IN SCHOOLS.

- You publish a letter, from Mr. A. E. Knight attacking the teachers of our schools, particularly with regard to the teaching of English. He should take into consideration: (1) That his children spend more time in their paternal abode than in the schoolroom and— well, the inference is obvious. (2) That his children are almost certainly defective in the hearing or the attention processes, or both. (3) That the Auckland Education Board's staff does not consist of one teacher. Evidently Mr. Knight's own teachers did not excel as teachers of logic," or surely he would not attempt to argue from particular.instances, or as teachers of the virtues, charity and courtesy, or he would not sneer at the teacher's most precious asset, his teaching efficiency, which all experts save our present critic rate rather highly. . CHAS. W. BOSWELL.

Being in accord with your correspondent A. E. Knight, may I be permitted to offer other examples noted of late in the child's mode of pronouncing certain words, for Which the "talkies" are not responsible? "Cross" is made to rhyme with "tossi" "Mine" as though it were "moine," "guide" as "goide;" "night" as "noigkt," "town" as "tarn"' and -"good-bye" as "good-bay." Indeed, as a parent, I would in comparison welcome the allegedly American twang so scorned by the judge of jthe recent competitions. Why not send some of thoss defaulting teachers back to school again? It may possibly be an admixture of the "shire" accent from recent arrivals. ARTHUR CUMMINGS.

RELIEF OF DISTRESS.

In his letter "Onlooker" puts his finger on what may have deterred some people from contributing to.the charity calls which unfortunately are so constantly before us. But let him not despair. The overlapping he speaks of possibly does occasionally occur, but is greatly minimised by monthly conferences which the recognised social workers regularly hold. In respect to salaries and administration charges "Onlooker" will, I feel sure, cheerfully admit that the labourer is worthy of his hire and even the Charitable Aid Board must pay its staff." ,'" " C.