A FATHER'S COMPLAINT.,

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13359, 27 December 1906, Page 6

A FATHER'S COMPLAINT.,

(To the Editor.) Si r) _oiii reading the 'names of the prize winners at the Central School, it would nov be hard to believe that you nad simxjly reproduced last ycar"s list.- Of coiu-fc-e, I Jvnow that is not so, but the fact that Ihq same children year after year 1 appropriate' the prizes,^ lends colour to the belief, "coanoncn ' among the children/ that they can only b-e {riven to -Cammvt te'e-m^n's or teachers' fruaxl.s, and a fc\v by way of soft-solde.r to thpsa whose influence il is.des-irabift to retain. If yon doubt this, Mn-dly study the two lists. Parents too oft^n d.ismiss- the subject with • a mental reflection which, if, it could b'itt reach "iflve •ears of those responsible for the injustice, would not flatter them, -but junction dors not tewl "to 1 improve this abuso or tend to diminish the frauds p&rrfi'-n-i'rd c>n the cliikken, not because of the momentary value, but tfooi fact • th ; at after -a year's industry ihe stimulant to further oTort. should bf. crushed by the - l-.Tiowlcdge that a favoured few get all the credit "earned by others.*' ' It is fortunate for the Central School- that ' Fitzroy and South Road Schools a,re so far away, otherwise there would be fewer clild- 1 ren to suffer .£roin this un-"English treatretsoit at headquarters. In conclusion, and in, justification of the above, I . will say it is a parent's natural instinct! to demand for the offspring- a greater measure of fair play than one would perhaps ask for one's S>oif that pro-rniits ire io fall public attention to this 1 , subject.— l am, &c, PATEB. (We cive/ publicity to "Paters complaint, though we fe*»] -qnHo certain that it is groundless. The attendance" prizes are awarded to those who nml«e the best ait tendances, and thrw o?n be no favouritism is this respect- The proficiency 7>rizos./ may h<* gained 'by the samn .children year after year, an-d there is! nothing remarkable about this-, for the child who: takes "a top place in Standard I. .is more than likely to succeed an tiro o'th r>r standards while the one who fails or only just 9cra]Jos through in tlmo lower standards is almost : certain to do the same i» Vne higher.— Ed. TTH.)