FOOTBALL CODES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 145, 16 December 1926, Page 24

FOOTBALL CODES

SCHOOL RIVALRY

HEADMASTEES' DEPUTATION TO

EDUCATION BOABD.

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "Tide Evening i*ott.") AUCKLAND; 15th December.

"Our schools should not be used as a battle-ground of codes in sport, 5' was the statement made when a deputation, consisting of three headmasters, includinj the president of the Auckland Teachers' Institute, waited on. the Education Board this morning. The Otahuhu headmaster said that after a great deal of solid work had been put in with the Otahuhu School Rugby team last season, the boys had been mysteriously drawn away to take part in another code. Influence had been brought to bear outside to get the boys to play the game. The result had appeared in the papers under the school's name, and he asked the board to express an opinion as to how far the headmaster's influence extended, and for a general direction. Other schools were affected, and there had boen an effort to undermine tho ioyalty of the pupile and to lower the standing of the headmast- > er and staff leader. A member of tho deputation said that games were part of the education of tho children, and should not' be the: subject of bias outside, nor should pressure be brought upon the school to foree1 any particular game on it. "We can teach best what we like best," he added. The board resolved that when interference occurred tho board should support the headmasters in all reasonable circumstances, though the chairman was doubtful about copyrighting the school name. /