SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18622, 5 February 1935, Page 10

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

(To tliu Editor of tliu ifuraJd.) Sir, —On icadiiig the Herald ou Fri> day livening I notice a letter 1 written over llie signature of "Mother," who makes a very feeble attempt to bring me to task over the above subject, liitid who says lliat J blame the Jong holidays for the boys and girls getting out of control. Well, I do and 1 am going to adhere to it, but, had my tetter been published in cxteuso I have no doubt that ■"Mother" would liavo looked at it from a different poinl of view, as I stated clearly my i;cason:< for doing so. I am not going to say thai the boys have any fclonious intent,' but as Murk Twain puts it, '' Tl:-.;.' do it from pure cussedness." She says that maybe I expect the leuc'itv- to bring up the children, and the home influence goes for naught. Now, "Mother" must be aware of the fact that; out of school hours teachers have no control, and as for "home influence" I wee by the expressions of the clergy and others, that "home influence" is lacking. Surely "Mother" is not so devoid of ctuiuiion sense that to know that vlkcii the youngsters- are allowed to race tlrts streets they are liable to get inlo mischief, and should she have :::■■/ doubts about it let her read the (iiipors regarding children's courts. In ily s.'dionl days over to years ngo we had only oneVeek at Christmas time,

simply because the teachers had to live by (ho school money. Why com. pare a mother and children lu "hen:, and chicks"'—l am, etc, OBSERVES.