SLATES IN SCHOOLS.
TO WIPE—OB NOT TO WIPE? THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN. The question whether schools in the Wellington education district should dispense with the use of slates—on account of their alleged menace. to the health of children—was discussed at the meeting of the Board yesterday. -* Representations having been made on the matter by one of the up-country committees, a return was furnished by the secretary, showing that the cost of substituting writing-pads for slates would cost something like .£lO per annum per one hundred pupils. . Mr Kebble suggested that any supposed danger might, be obviated by disinfecting the slates periodically. Mr Vile stated that “the pad business" was becoming,a serious tax on the pockets of many people. Their introduction should be at the expense of the Boards or the Government. % When he went to school the pupils used' slates, and he was not aware that any of the youngsters had suffered serious inconvenience therefrom. To-day they had writing-pads in some of the schools, and every week scholars made demands on their parents for money to purchase them. Mr Hogg: Shakespeare says that*there is very, little difference between the sublime and.the ridiculous, and it seems to tne there is very little difference between pads and fads. We should not give this matter any further consideration. The'chairman : It is highly important that something should be done. I do not, however, see. how the Board can do it, seeing the cost it would entail per annum. . We might agree to allow committees to ‘use their own option, and let the children pay for pads. Mr Hogg: There is nothing in it. They will have to stick to .slates. Mr Vile : The important point is that certain schools /have insisted on it. I want to know by whose authority. The chairman: We have .no official •knowledge of that. Mr Hogg: The.teachers who insist on it should .be put into padded cells. When I went to school we used to- spit on our slates and wipe them with our cuffs. A boy will not be allowed to 'sneeze shortly “unless there is somebody handy with’disinfectant, Mr Vile: The tax upon the poor man is quite unwarranted. ■ 1 . . The matter was allowed to drop.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6326, 28 September 1907, Page 9
Word Count
369SLATES IN SCHOOLS. New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6326, 28 September 1907, Page 9
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