'SCHOOLS' CHAMPIONSHIPS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 15, 16 April 1908, Page 9

'SCHOOLS' CHAMPIONSHIPS.

• To the Editor. 'Sir,— l would suggest to the Committee of Management of the above sports ' that the denominational schools 1 of the city be debarred from competing at the annual demonstration. ,In the first place the sports are for the children, attending, the public schools of the city, and no one can call the Christian Brothers' School a pujbdic school. It is a purely denominational institution, and its primary object is to keep "Romanism alive in the breasts of the children of the adhejoen'ts of that religion. I do not mlind the boys winning a few prizes at the stports, but I do contend that Inhere are many boys attending our schools who are in • every way as good, and better, athletes than those boys whose names appear in the paper this morning, but who are too modest to come forward to compete. The Rugby Union weeded this school out of its competitions, and I think it is time that tliey were disqualified from' competing in what should be a purely public schools competition. — I _ a m, etc., 1 Dunedin, April 6. s ' ULSTER.' The country yokel in an old ' English, play said .that, U he were a king, he would lave like a lord, gorge pease and fat bacon every day, and carry a whip that ci'iied ' Slash ! ' His personal ideal was not a high one. . But it had at least the negative merit of not being so low as the social ideal that would howl at and penalise pluck and stamina and skill and public spirit, merely because these qualities — so useful for a young country —are displayed by Catholic boys in open and nuatoly competfitiioji with all confers of their age. Happily, this spirit is rare. So far, indeed,, is' this true that the chief value of the pearl of controversy set in this page is derived, .-not from its beauty, but from Its rarity. As time flies, and the schoolmaster gets abroad, thds sort of thing will be valued only as a historical curiosity — like some at the relics of the olden, time that meet the gaze of the curious sightseer in. the Tower of London. The boys' spirited reply is given in another part of this issue. It shows that vbhey can wi'dldi the pen as well _as kick a goal or show com* peting schools the way over a measured space of green sward or asphalt track.