Tuakau and Harrisville Schools.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 46, 26 November 1912, Page 4

Tuakau and Harrisville Schools.

'[TO TILE EDITOIi.] | Sir, -Mr A. 11. Tapper is veiy j p v rsevt;ri.g in hid i-.dvoc.uy of the' closing of tho above si-hj; Is an J j the erection >,i one in their pLce j a3 close a-; possible to his place of ; busincs . I This is my first sr.d Lst L;ter on 1 this Eubj ct, and i only write in j older t;i ask Mr Tappar a quastion to wl ica 1 shall hope f. r a I straightforward annwu-. I vvlsti to i ail: why a numhe- of the children in each district should be compel! d t.; walk from six to eight mil.a daily fti'.ter and summer, rain or storm, j to and irora school y;;d with a par- \ ticn of the roarid almost impassable | in v.iau:r time—ix:'pt in*order that another t.umber of child.; n should I hive a school at thei: do;::. No j o,e can deny that the present j tcho.ls have done and a;e doirg : exc.Uoat work, satisfactory idike to the parents and the Boar::. iha\| amalgam ition cf small schools is j d:firab!e whore it can be carried out without injury to the education t.f the district, but no one who is j perseually with the Tua-1 k:.u and Marrisville districts can j juaiify the closing of these two j schools i.i order to ;;rovide one ut or rear the iuakau railway station, 'ihe railway station children are vvtll served fcy either school, the children of the outskirts oi both districts, who.e paier.ta are e'oirg the rough pione ring work, will suffer a cruel iuju3icc if cither school is closed ai.d an alleged central oi.e Subs ituted. Mr Tappsr says the opponents of the cet:t-al site fear depreciation of their property? That i 3 a cheap sneer. What is Mr Tapper's hope'/ Is it appreciation of his property? And, by the way, i*. this the same Mr Tapper who a few w.ek3 ago offered the Board four acre 3 for a school site at the modest sum of £300? liie Beard oi Education undertake a serious responsibility when they decide', cgaintt the wish of the parents, to close two schools so ioria established, and So succctSUll educationally as Juakau and Harrisville, even tho.-gii that tu?us! boJy, the I regressive League, offers iL j suppert. Ihe League is regarded loc-lly as a joke; but, of curse, the Board doss not knew thatj and is inclined to utdue n.-tice o! its representations. I may state that tlie three principal men for cl sing the present s bools, if a new se.o 1 were op.jr.ed tomorrow, have net a child to send to it. —I am, etc., • JOiiN POLAND, SENS.