OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 250, 3 August 1937, Page 6

OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

. Sir,—The action, or perhaps overenthusiasm or keenness, of our Member for Parliament, Mr Herring, regarding the High School farm appears to have incurred the displeasure of members of the High School Board, and one wonders why. As a resident, ratepayer and taxpayer for a long number of years now, I haye viewed with considerable misgiving the acquisition of playgrounds first by the High School and then by the Technical, the additions to buildings and equipment, etc., by both schools and the obvious overlapping and unnecessary competition between the institutions. To my mind there has been a shocking waste of public money in the secondary school facilities in Ashburton, and the sooner the boards get together ‘ and decide to amalgamate the better for the schools, the pupils and, last but not least, the taxpayers. If, as your report indicates, the High School Board desires to eo-oper-ate more fully, with the Technical board, would it not be a friendly gesture if it handed over the unnecessary and unwanted and now unused equipment held by it? I understand there are gas and" electric cookers, cooking appliances galore, sewing machines, and even typewriters actually rusting away at the High School, because cookery and dressmaking, etc., are notnow taught there. If the High School Board is honestly and sincerely anxious to co-operate with its sister school and save the country some money, would it not be advisable for it to put its own house in order first? I would like to suggest to cur High School friends that Mr Herring be requested to pay a visit to the school, so that be can see for himself the sinful and unpardonable waste of equipment that, even yet, might be salvaged and reconditioned and used elsewhere. OLD PUPIL.