ATTENDANCE OF CHILDREN AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3015, 27 December 1911, Page 82

ATTENDANCE OF CHILDREN AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

RESTRICTED TO CHILDREN OF DISTRICT. EDUCATION BOARD'S RESOLUTION REVIEWED. In scholastic circles there has been considerable discussion, not to say unrest, regarding the following resolution passed by the Education Board at its meeting last week—viz.: " That the head masters of the following schools—i.e., Caversham, Forbury, and- Albany Street—be notified that in future they must refuse to admit any child whose parents or guardians reside outside the school district." It is not onlv amongst the teachers of the schools affected that there has been agitation as a result of the board's mandate, but parents in the respective districts have been somewhat _ outspoken respecting what they oonsider is an interference - with the rights of the householder. The children attending our schools are very largely the children of parents who were themselves locally educated, and a father or a mother has a somewhat natural desire to have the children attend, if at all possible, the school endearingly called "our school." With this limitation of attendance to children within the actual school district, there is a feeling that the family school is being unduly broken, and that feeling can be heard given expression to on the tramcar and other places where men casually most; and doubtless an outlet will bo given publicly to those- sentiments in due course. A HEAD MASTER'S OPINION.

Mr J. Rennie, head master of the Albany Street School, when waited upon by a Times reporter, and asked for an opinion on the situation, said the resolution of the board had considerably perturbed the minds of the toachei-s of the school, the members of the committee, and many parents, both within the district and outside of it. The •effect appeared to be little less than disastrous. Of course they knew that the board was endeavouring to adjust the attendances, but they never anticipated any proposal so drastic as had been agreed to. By the determination of the board the Albany Street School would leso 200 pupils, the school would drop from an attendance of 700 to 500, or four grades, and six teachers f OU! r assistants and two pupil teachers — would be lest This would take effect within a year, whilst within two years the salaries of the remaining staff would be cut down —that was on the supposition that the school did not work up in the meanr time, and there did not seem to be much hope'of that if tbe_ attendance was confined to the school district. > In renly *° a question as to how the attendance of the Albany Street School would be actually affected in point of numbers. Mr Rennie said that the present roll of the school was 760, and of that number 200 came from outside the boundaries of the school district. The probable roll at the beginning of next year would be 560, with an average attendance of 500. " Would there not, howevez - ," queried

the reporter, "bo an increase by fresh enrolments?"

" There would, of course, be fresh enrolments," said the head master, " but you must bear in mind that those fresh enrolments can only come from children residing within Iho district, and will, of course, only counter-balance the natural loss that the school will sustain by within-the-district pupils leaving at the end of this year. There is always in the Albany Street School a considerable number of pupils from Standards IV, V, and VI, leaving every year, and we think we will be fortunate if fresh enrolments make up our deficiencies, irrespective of the 200 wo lose by having to refuse children from without our bounds. We have also to remember that the Normal School is instituting a second model school, and as the Normal School may take in pupils from any school district, it may so happen that children from the Albany Street School district will be accepted for that model school, which eventuality would still further reduce the opening attendance of Albany Street School."

"During this last year," asked the reporter, "has the Albany Street- School been ' considerably in excess of the number for the previous year?"— "The roll number," said Mr Rennie, "for the two years has been about.the same." '*' To what then," followed up the reporter, " do you attribute trie fact that you have such a large attendance from outside the bounds of the school district?"

Mr Rennie replied: "To the fact that the board changed the boundaries of the Albany Street School district and took out a very populous block, between Hanover street and St. Andrew street, but the children from that block still come to the school. That is the main factor. Another factor is that in the Albany Street School district the population is a very shifting one, but whilst parents remove from the district they continuo, if they possibly, can, to send their children to the school." The reporter's final query in terminating the interview, was the one naturally following the foregoing question and answer —namely, " In regard to the attendance of children at school, do you find that it is customary for parents to desire to send their children, to the school at which they themselves have been educated?" Air Ronnie's answer was to the point: "In the circumstances, I must consider that a fair question. I do find that to be the case; and it is a tradition that holds very strongly at Albany Street." ANOTHER VIEW.

One gentleman pointed out that it meant lowering the grade of the schools, Which, of course, Carried with it a reduction in staff and a reduction in the salaries paid the teachers. About four months ago the board directed the head masters of the three schools named' to refuse to admit children coming from outside districts, and it is understood that that direction has been carried out. Now the board, apparently intends that the children from outside districts at present attending the schools shall be refused tuition as well as fresh applicants. As a result of the resolution passtJd four months ago any overcrowding of the schools through the- admission of children other than those resident within the school district, must, it is pointed out, have been got over in time, as those children completing their course of instruction and leaving the school would not be replaced by Then attention is drawn to the fact that, the other schools in the city and suburbs uot being affected by the resolution, there is the probability that they in turn may suffer through overcrowding from precisely the same cause. As far as parents are concerned, it is stated, and with some show of reason, that they are almost sure to have a strong desire to send their younger children to the same school at which the older ones have been taught and in some cases to the same school at which even they themselves have been taught. In the case of one school the board not so very long ago took a portion of its district away and tacked it on to another district, the portion known as Kew. As a Tesult children livinsr' at the top end of Caxgill road," and at Kew ara compelled, though only about 300 yards from one school, to attend a school further away. There is little doubt that school committees will take strong exception to the new regulation.