A PUBLIC SCHOOL GRIEVANCE.

Press, Volume XXXV, Issue 4906, 9 May 1881, Page 3

A PUBLIC SCHOOL GRIEVANCE.

TO THE BDIXOB OT THE FBBSS. Bir, — Among the imperfections of the present system of free education—and I presume we all admit imperfections do exist of what may be termed a very minor sort — there is that of the teachers making assessments every now and then upon the.children, for the purpose of giving testimonials to I teachers leaving the school. The practice is one which should be stamped out. It operates very unjustly in many individual instances as respects the children, and creates distinctions among them prejudicial to that principle of equality which it is so necessary sbould be maintained under the present State school system. I will, for the sake of illustrating my meaning, just give as an example the following occurrence :—A teacher, after teaohing the young idea for, say seven or eight years, is about to betake himself or herself, as the case may be, to some other town, or possibly to come other sphere of usefulness. The other teachers in the school determine that he or she shall not part from them without what they please to term " a souvenir." So far the resolve'appears to be unexceptionable. To carry it into effect, the teachers acting in concert give out in their classes that every child "must bring a contribution in coin the following day to school." The mandate is carefully carried by the little folk home to their parents. In many instances the required sixpence is promptly given, in many no attention is paid to it by the parents. The presentation day arrives. A teacher in one class possessing a little more common sense and consideration than one i& the next class acquaints his scholars that Mr or Miss So-and-so is to be given her present that day, and tells them all to go and ccc the ceremony. The teacher in the next room act* differently. He says to hia class, " Now all of you who brought nothing towards purchasing the gift may stand up." This done, the next order is, " You remain in the class room ; the rest may put on their hats and go and see the presentation." A more senseless-or unfeeling act than this need not, I am sure, be sought to prove the position I take, that levying assessments in the schools for purposes of this sort should be prohibited. The illustration I have given, I may state, is no imagiuary one, nor are the circumstances in the least exaggerated. Yours, &s., Paebkt. Lyttelton, May 7th, 1881.