LONGER HOLIDAYS?

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 6, 8 January 1942, Page 9

LONGER HOLIDAYS?

SCHOOL CHILDREN

ARMY USE OF BUILDINGS

There is a possibility that in some cases at least it may be necessary to extend the present school holidays in order to make the school buildings available for military purposes. Already some secondary schools are 5n use by the military authorities and have been since the end of the last school year. With the greater mobilisation that is to take place this month it seems quite possible that not only the schools now in use will be wanted for a'further period, but that also others Will be required for military purposes. If it is found necessary to extend school holidays in some, if not in all, cases, there may perhaps be a tendency to view such a course with some concern. However, it would not { be the first time that the children have been away from school for a considerable period. During various epidemics, principally infantile paralysis, schools have had to be closed until the end of February and some even well into March, and the opinion has been expressed that by the end of the school year there »was no appreciable, if any, detrimental effect upon the standard of attainment of the children. In such circumstances it would also no doubt be found practicable to make greater use of the Correspondence School for instruction.