Casebrook School

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31016, 23 March 1966, Page 18

Casebrook School

Sir, —Mr H. P. Fowler’s reported concern over “the dominance of the Treasury on finance for education” is well founded. The basic educational equipment at any level among literate people is surely not pianos, taperecorders, and film projectors, but a complete supply of pupil text-books in each subject taught. Only at the primary level are teachers and pupils deprived of these, in spite of frequent requests, and fobbed off with a few hundred pounds’ worth of miscellaneous equipment. It must be obvious to Mr W. J. Cartwright, in spite of his statement to the co' trary, that in regard to the availability of useful teaching equipment, assistant masters and mistresses are the only people who do know what they are talking about. Could I assure “Prepared Parent” that most of the chips that primary teachers carry on their shoulders are carried on behalf of the children.—Yours, etc., J. F. WILLIAMS. March 21, 1966.

Sir,—ln spite of Mr Cart wright’s opinion my first letter did not show a “gross misunderstanding of the facts.” It did show that I had taken more trouble to establish the facts than he had. Mr Cartwright was apparently very impressed by the inlaid wooden floor in the assembly hall and the sewing machines electric stoves, etc., in the manual rooms. These blinded him to the fact that the classrooms, where the children spend 90 per cent of their time, do not contain the books and equipment needed te teach the basic curriculum. If the Canterbury Education Board cannot afford to equir the school properly it should tell the public the facts instead of claiming that everything is in order. Hagley High School, having inherited large stocks of text-books, was still able to purchase £2OOC worth of text-books this year How much money was available for text-books at Casebrook School?—Yours, etc., ASSISTANT MASTER. March 21. 1966.