SCHOOL COMMITTEES PRACTICES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20586, 8 December 1928, Page 24

SCHOOL COMMITTEES PRACTICES

TO. THE EDITOR, I draw the attention of the Education Board to a most objectionable way some of the primary school committees'have of raising*money to pay for the prizes -won during the year by the various scholars. Several children are given collecting cards,- and are asked to,go from door to door, begging money. The effect is to put; temptation in the way of the weaker ones, who. are sometimes very easy prey to the more learned. 'At one south end,; school the. child of a "-.iend of mine received one of these cards,, and after doing her share of collecting was ■ enlightened by a much older pupil how to <: fake" the card before sending in the returns. Now,, apart' from its being most unfair to expect these children who earn their prizes by hard work to go collecting to pay for them, and to have temptation put in .{heirway, 1 this child to whom I •■refer was punished severely for an act which, really need ;never have happened. Surely>tfae conttnittee ; could:.devote one of its evenings to" raise funds for the prizes. There is another-matter to which the attention of the/Education Board should be called. In conversation with one. of the teachers, I asked' why certain trees had been removed from the front of the playground where tbey had always served the*.children '_ as shelter;.'from > the' sun' in the summer time. .1 was informed that the icommittee had taken them down because the club which rented the tenuis' courts wanted longer light in.the evenings. As a consequence. Ihe children have no shelter at midday from the heat of the sun, since it shines right into" the play sheds. Has not the committee overstepped its offices by sacrificing the children for a few tennis players? It is the opinion of many parents that it is high time the board took a more active part in the _administration of its affairs and saw to it /that the children's interests come first. We trust the day will soon come when we shall have type of man presenting himself for election who js not out for publicity and for having a good time. A. committee of one-fourth' the Bumber possessed of brains would be of more benefit, to the children than a committee .of several whose one object Beems to be running social evenings for themselves. The schools and playgrounds are meant solely for the children, and nearness to the school jn question is the only reason for my boy's attending it, because the way in which affairs are carried on is not conducive to any boy respecting their elders, especially those on the committee, and I often wonder as my boys do, what are' school committees for.—l am, etc." South Eot.