SCHOOL HOLIDAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16205, 15 April 1916, Page 9

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS.

Sir,To the surprise of many parents, the Auckland Education Board lias decided to close the schools- for tho usual term at Easter. In view of the extraordinarily long periods during which the schools have been closed this year, commencing with the Christmas vacation of six weeks, and then in connection with the epidemic of infantile paralysis, it was desirable to curtail tho Easter holidays as much as possible. Good Friday and Easter Monday are the only two days that need have been observed. The explanation given by tho chairman of tho Education Board is unsatisfactory. "The public should understand," says Mr. Garland, "that a very largo number of the schools were at work during the wholo of tho time. That being the case, tho board would bo compelled to differentiate, and this would lead to endless confusion." I do not know of any schools that remained open, but I. do know that all tho large schools in the Auckland district were closed. They were closed on tho board's authority, and school committees were instructed by circular from the board's secretary. Some of the smallest schools were not closed, ' I believe, so that of its own free will the board differentiated in closing the schools, and I have yet to learn that "endless confusion" resulted. It seems to mo that tho Auckland Schools Committee's Association should be resuscitated on strong lines, and an effort made to link tip all school committees in the. district with tho open and avowed object of combating tho growing and powerful influence at present exercised by the teachers, the Teachers' Institute and the inspectors. Committeeman.