HOLIDAY ABUSE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160711, 26 July 1920, Page 2

HOLIDAY ABUSE.

To the Editor. Sit,—l Irish to take the strongest exception to statements made at the meeting of the Education Board on Wednesday evening, relative to holidays granted by School Committees. The impression created was that the various School Committees have granted holidays largely in excess of the three days allowed by the regulations. This is not in accordance with fact. In reality, some Committees have granted no holidays at all, and this is true of the Committee which I represent. In the worst case, and the one that was apparently aimed at by the mover of the motion, only four days’ leave for the year have been granted—one in excess of the regulation—and surely that is excusable in connection with the visit of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. It would be well for these gentlemen who wish to air their eloquence to be more specific, for, although the motion aims at School Committees generally, the discussion apparently developed into an attack on our recent illustrious visitors, H.R.H. the Prince of Wales and General Birdwood, who are variously described as “persons coming along and ordering holidays,” and “a succession of globe trotters.” I feel, sir, that particularly in connection with the Prince’s visit, the Board should have made provision for a holiday for the children, and that, having failed to do so, it should be the last to cavil at the fact that in its absence the Central School Committee should have given effect to the Royal visitor’s suggestion “that the children should be given an holiday for the remainder of the week.” The chairman’s statement'—“in many instances these holidays were purely for the benefit of the teachers, and it was the teachers who wanted them,” is totally incorrect, and constitutes a gratuitious insult to the whole of the teaching staff, which is quite unmerited. The teachers did not want these extra holidays, and most certainly did not ask for them. Teachers from more than one school have expressed to me their regret that, in view of so much time being lost through sickness, so many additional days should bo granted. This fact must be made public in defence of the teachers. It seems to me that instead of belittling the teachers, and the Committee, the Board would take both into its confidence and work in harmony with them instead of adopting a policy of superiority and aloofness, it would do more for the cause of education in the district than at present it is doing.—l am, etc., E. Y. LAWS, Chairman W.B. Committee.