The Star. SATURDAY, MAY 30, 1891. Stationery at Public Schools.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7177, 30 May 1891, Page 2

The Star. SATURDAY, MAY 30, 1891. Stationery at Public Schools.

There is nothing to be wondered at in the discussion which is reported to have taken place in Auckland on the question of the charges made by the head masters of public schools for supplying stationery, &c. Parents who send their children to private schoolß are well aware that no small percentage of the expense of tuition is the cost of books and stationery. They, however, probably look upon the charge ' for these necessaries as part of the not unreasonably large fees of school proprietors, and do not examine too closely into the several items included in the accounts : furnished at regular intervals. With public schools the circumstances are altogether ', different. As we have on former occasions , pointed ont, the teaching in them is claimed to be free, compulsory, and secular. The 1 firßt of these aupposeß that the teaching 1 shall cost the scholar nothing. True it is ! that the theory of an entirely free educa- - tion is by universal consent allowed to be £ ignored in the matter of stationery, and, | < in view of the priceless boon bestowed c

;ratuitously, the comparatively small tax s overlooked. Nevertheless, the charge or books and stationery takes away from he completeness of the free Bystem of iducation, and tends to destroy that quality of all the Bcholara which the „ lystem is supposed to ensure. There is no - liding the fact that among our peoplo s ihere are some who find it hard to make ' Doth ends meet iv providing for the .very-day calls for the support of * •hemselves and their children. To _hese the additional call for even _ few pence to pay for their ( children's books, &c, is no slight matter. ' Undoubtedly very few begrudge the j amount, but it is a question not of the will but of the way. Head masters, in their i anxiety to get the credit of high averages, are sorely tempted to put pressure on their pupils to make sure that these shall have all the appliances required. Printed bocks form only a part of these appliances. Copy books, exercise books, slates, drawing materials, even mathematical instruments are looked upon as necessary appliances; and the scholars are urged to bring them under pain of losing the full benefits of the State education. From complaints that have reached us we are forced to believe that too little consideration is shown for the poverty of parents and that, in consequence, the privation of food and clothing haß to be suffered by other members of families in order that those at school may be furnished with educational materials. There is certainly room for reform in this matter, and we hope that the discussion at Auckland may lead to some method being devised for lessening, if not entirely removing, the hardship the very poor have now to suffer.