ALBANY STREET SCHOOL AND THE SABBATH SCHOOL SCHOLARS.

Evening Star, Issue 5589, 5 February 1881, Page 2 (Supplement)

ALBANY STREET SCHOOL AND THE SABBATH SCHOOL SCHOLARS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Since the appesranoe of your leader «f the 25th alt. I have waited, but in vain, for some word through your columns from Mr Robin in regard to the following cla r ge made by him at the late meeting for tee election cf the Dunedin School Committee—- " That the 4s charged was paid over to the janitor—no porti >n of it was retained by the Committee ; yet it w» s not likely that a room could be used by 150 children fifty-two hours during the year without some damage being done Mr of Albany street Sshool, had told the Committee that the rocm in which the Sunday school was held was eo dirty and grea-y that li must be painted." A charge which, I feel certain, Mr Robin cuinot jusiify. I would not have troubled you co the matter had the remarks th< n made been left as they were on the night of the meeting; but when you tak9 up a charge, which was at th« time refuted, and embody them in a leader in inch a way as to convey to the world at large that it *as borne out by facts, I think it is only right to contradict the remarks then made and let the truth be known. I fay, to accuse the children attending the Sunday cla««t8 in Albany street School ef dirtying, greasing, and so disfiguring the walls c f the buildu g as to cause the expense cf repainting, is not only mean but f*lse. But what are the Let* ? The scholars ar.d teachers who form a branch c f the Knsx Church Sabbath school and known as the Pelichet B3y School have had the use on Sundays tor about e : ght months cf a rotmin the above school. In the back rows, adjacent to the wall, are seated the girls (who wear bonnets), in the middle and away from the wa'ds are plactd the boys, and in front are the infant classes, all cf whom are for the ahort spice cf one hour under the supervision If, not as Mr Robin stated, teachers who had no control over the children, but men and women as careful and intelligent as Mr Ferguson and his assistants. Now, is it not the very height of absurdity to suppose that a mare handful of children (say 100), generally cleanly dressed, c uld do more damage ia eight months —and for on? hour iu the week —than 400 or SCO children with their dirty clothes, dirty hands, and greasy fingers could in four years, and in and cut the tame, buildiug during five days in the week? The walls sadly needed a new cost of paint for many a year past; acd, f irsooth, because it has been done, and that simultaneously with the use of budding on Sundays, theotui of expense must uunec s«arily be laid on tho Sunday scholars. Bah ! Seme excuse for the outlay, I expect, should be be made, £0 a scape-goat must bo fou d (ray the master) it matters not who. Tne Sanday Bchool whispers "Toe mau," and the Sunday ; c'ico) echoes " The crowd. Such ia lifd. Now, as regards the work done for the 4?, and the less of the Sunday's rest. When no charge was made the teachers opened and shut the place themselvts; the janitors never troubled the school with Bhtir presence. But since the payment of rent what work has been done ? Merely opening and shutting the doors before and after the hour—no more. A3 for cleaning, why, bless you, from the time of closing the building on Saturday to Monday morning neither broom nor duster ha 3 left its mark behind ; so much sj that the accumulated duat has been auftic ent to enable the children to write, as in sand, the word " janitor" in large letter?, for a gentle hint of it 3 removal by the paid servant instead of by their own clothes and those of their teachers and visitors. As this affair has been the excuse for holdiDg cut against the use of school buildings on Sunday, I trust, sir, you will g->ve the above statement (although rather long in detail) publicity.—l am, etc., A Teachbr. Dunedin, February 4