‘DISCOURTESY TO BOARD’

Taranaki Daily News, 1 June 1935, Page 6

‘DISCOURTESY TO BOARD’

HEADMASTER’S ACTION INVERCARGILL JUBILEE PARADE. EDUCATION BOARD’S OPINION. REPLY MADE BY THE TEACHERS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Invercargill, Last Night. Following a discussion in committee on the absence from the King’s jubilee parade of primary schools of the city on May 6, the. Southland Education Board at its meeting to-day carried the following resolution: “The board regrets the action of headmasters of Invercargill schools in not giving the Mayor of Invercargill and the citizens’ committee the opportunity of providing suitable ceremonies for children on the occasion of the jubilee celebrations on May 6 and considers that grave discourtesy was shown to the board and civic authorities.”

A copy of a letter to the board was later obtained from headmasters, who stated that the board was wrong in assuming that the children of town schools were debarred from partaking on May 6 by the resolution of the Headmasters’ Association. The decision not to take part in the parade, if held, was come to at. an informal meeting of town headmasters and was merely reaffirmation of a decision arrived atVsome months ago solely in the interests of children. They pointed out that not yet had one of the headmasters concerned received a request for pupils of hi’s school to take part in the procession. < '• ' ? The headmasters outlined their attitude to parades in general and stated that the pupils should ndt be required to stand for lengthy periods. Long before the parade in question headmasters had endeavoured to protect their pupils, and that was the major reason why attendance of pUpils at Anzac Day parades was replaced by ceremonies at individual schools. . . • * ■ ■ .■■. ;■ . . ‘

The action of the headmasters could not be construed either as flouting the br -d’s wish or even indirectly as showing discourtesy to the Mayor.