Correspondence.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9954, 2 April 1895, Page 4

Correspondence.

The Editor does not hold hlmsell responsible for opinions expressed by correspondents.

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND EFFICIENCY, SlK,— Your leader on this subject is interesting, and tbe stutiatlci and remarks called from Mr Hi'l'a report convey a moral to ba noted by the loc^l authorlti-s Id tbe pUcee named. Bat I should like, sir; to see you touch upon a very Important subj co thit has never yet received the attention it deserves, from either the department or any consistory of inspectors. I refer to the injustice cf applylag iDflezib'e standard tests to all schoo'.s. In the city of A the attendance at school is omuaratlvely regular. In tbe vlllaee of B tbe attendance tineJuates. The A children all ie«iiio

near the school, and the committee can, If it should seem desirable, enfoics the compulsory attendance clauses. The B children are scattered over a largo areo, the committee ia chii fly bncolic, with a dash of the storekeeplng element, and is besides lethargic. The parents need the Fcrvlcsn of their children ia I " pickiu' taterc," driving cows, or wrestling with tefraciory vi^a, and these delightful and truly rural pursnits cccupy the youngsters duriog t wo or three nioatha of the year. Not only do the children lose co much time, bat in the intervals the lessons they learned wdilo unending school evanesce, and their last state is worse than their first ; tbelr ehawbacony condition ia more pronounced than ever. Yet) the unfortunate teacher his to stand the appllc.tion of the same tests as are app.ied to the work of his city brother I It is like serving ont boots of uniform sizi to a whole family. There U nothing in the Act to warrant an inspector in relaxing his vigor when examining conntry schools, where the conditions 1 have referred to obtain, yet the Id j astice and anomaly are undeniable. I know a country school (not in this island), where there has always been an average attendance of say 27 or 35. Some of the best teachers in tbe ssrvice have occupied the throce there (probibly as a penance for their sins), but neither persuasion nor compulsion would avail against the needa ot tbe farmers, They must have their children at home during the harvest. "Lamia' aint do great thing ; I never 'ad cone an I've got a thousand acres as can't be beat in the colony. I don t believe in too much o' that there book-larnin'. My miesls, an' "sise'i.a echolard and plays the planner, —she don't believe in it either. When we can f^^^the youce 'uns, they can take a weSB^KO with schoolmaster, and get poliS^Bup." This la abouo what one of thecsmnjittee said oace ia Conversation, and though there was philosophy la his remarks, undeniably, the faet remained that tbe nnfortanite pedagogue was placed lu a very unfair po<itlun. Hence the relations between the successive teacacrß and the inspector were continuitly "strained." Might not eotue elasticity be Impirted to the examination tests, and some power ba giveu to Inspectors to accept lower average remits In these cases? Ic i* remarkable that Done of tbe Education B mrds have yet made vigorous) repre;ent>itione to thj department on this subject,— I am, &\, J. H. Kiruy.

April 1, 1595.