CORRESPONDENCE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3380, 7 February 1879, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE

TO TKE EDITOIt OF TnE STAR

Sib, — Knowing thafc your paper is ever open for the discussion of any public question, I venfcure to request fchafc you will give publicity to what 1 consider a very great hardship to many of the parentß whose children attend the East Christchurch Public School. I refer to the system which seems to be in vogue of continually changing fche children's school books. Last year I bought half-a-dozen books at different "times by tho orders of the teachers ; fchey wore used for a week or two, and then they were put. aside as of no use. Judge of my surprise, upon my children returning fco school after the holidays, to be told that they would have fco get an entirely new set of books. Ifc is not the buying of the books fchat I urn much inclined fco complain of, bufc ifc is that they arc not used after they are bought. Ib seems to me fchat tho masters of the -school should not have the power to make such sweeping alterations whenever they think fit. Another tiling thafc I object to is — the children arc expected to purchase books, &c., from the school afc considerably higher prices than whafc fchey can be bought for at any retail shop in the town. Does the Goorrnmcntlget the profit, or >'+• if a private spi-culilion on (he pari of lhe j loac/ters ?

I think ifc is high time that the School Board looked into the matter ; and if ifc is necessary that the books of tho pupils in fche several classes should be all alike, then let tbo Board of Education decide which books aro fche best, and so avoid whafc seems to me a useless expenditure of money by a class of people who can ill afford ifc; for however anxious some people may be to educate their children, and 1 believe that thero are many such people amongst fche poorer class, they in many instances find ifc very inconvenient to be required to expend a pound to please fche particular ideas of every new head teacher who may bo appointed. Yours, Ac,

W.S.W.