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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 879, 8 February 1879, Page 2

A *■«»£» «» * >ttr nw>mH*g contemporary, folWing: op- the- suggestion of Mr. i haiTO at theMschanies Institute meot- ! ins, advocate* the establishment of evening '. e&asea in eonnevjtien with the Institute, ! and the payment of the teachers of the** ! classes. If it » agreed that evening classes vkxM pteve beneficial, it moat also be | agreed that the payment of teachers most !b« ptovided f»r. VTu do not believe !in people whio get their living l>y any I partiett&r profession giving their services for nothing. Th» numerous public can better »fife«J than a few teachers to supS port tbtt proposed evening claaaaa } and if ) they coold not, we have but little opinion \-» _*._* „_, called labels of love. It ap-

pears to us that school teachersarebut men, ami are just as appreciative of receiving payment for their brains as a laborer is for the exercise of his bone and sinew. The community 13 indebted to Sir. Pbattie f"r hi 3 suggestion in regard to the facilities for educating those beyond the pale of the day school. There is nothing that would be more effective in converting our youth from their proverbial ignorance, and its consequent carelessness, with all its evil results, than the occupation of their time and the enlightenment of their minds by the means suggested. We regret that Mr. Peattie could not work out the idea himself. The BGth sec-

tion of the Education Act provides that Head Masters of scheols may teach evening classes and receive fees for so doing on a asislc fixed by School Committees. But several reasons suggest themselves to us why it would not be politic for Mr. I'tTJkTEIE to undertake the task. His duties in connection with the school nver which he presides do not cease when the children have left for their h»iiies. It will easily be realised that there are important functions to be performed outside those of a purely schoLwttc nature. Again, his subordinates »h>"tttrl not he deprived of th« opportunity hJ supplementing: their incomes by undertaking the work in addition to their ordinary duties. Of course they could not expect to succeed were they to stand alone and unsupported ; but, under the patronage of the Mechanics' Institute, the results would be as satisfactory to them as they would be to their pupils and the public. ___^_