TOO LONG HOLIDAYS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19814, 4 December 1919, Page 9

TOO LONG HOLIDAYS.

(Bv A SCHOOLBOY in England.) Browne, mi., was quite excited at the idea of an extra week’s holiday, and muttered something about wisiiing there could he a peace every year. .But Brcwno, mu,., in upper school and quite a man of the world, hud other ideas. “Don’t listen to that kid,” he said; “he does not know what he’s talking about. I can toll you the truth about, holidays. This long spell in the summer is not for the good of us or parents It is for the sake of tho masters. “ Take old Hawkins, now. lie’s a first-class shot. He'd bo awfully sick if tho hols, were shortened, and he couldn’t have his round of visits and. get after the grouse and partridges. Then there’s Widgcry; he’s keen on yachting. It’s only tho hard-up or unpopular ones who don’t .get many invitations that think the summer vacdg too long. “ As for us—well. I must confess 1 think they rather overdo the holiday businesi. What do wo. do? Well, every year we go off to the sea. It’s ail right for tho first few Weeks. There's swimming aud boating and fishing— not much good, but one can make shift with them—but there’s no real sport. One gets awfully fed up. “One’s games go to pieces. There’s no chance of real decent cricket. Personally, I’m keen on rackets and fives. All I get in the hols. is pat-bail Jawm tennis with a, set of girls and youngsters. I should like to shoot, but one can’t get any shooting at the seaside except at bottles I And then one misses the society of one’s fellows. Sometimes I go on a visit or two or have a, decent chap to stay with mo. But it isn’t the same as school. “ Parents in moderation are all vciy well, but to have to put up with their daily society for nine weeks ou end is a bit thick for any fellow. The best rf parents seem to lose their balance a little with these long hols. They arc all right at the start, but as tho drag on they are apt to become peevish. They grow extraordinarily mean in the way of pocket-money, and they get absnrdlv irritable over trifling breakages which at the beginning of the time hardly affect them at all. “For their sake as much as mv oWn T would shorten the summer holidays. It might not be n bad scheme to add a little on at Christmas. There's some sense in that. London in the winter is priceless. There's always lots to do and to lie seen. I’m dead nuts on theatres and kinomas and places like A.laskelyne's. and there arc lots of quite decent parries aud rags of that sort“'Ye?, if von want the real solution of the holiday question, tell the bonds to tnk" a bit off the summer and add it on at Christmas.” '