MITCHELTOWN SCHOOL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1970, 29 January 1914, Page 6

MITCHELTOWN SCHOOL.

IMPENDING CHANGE RESETTED,

That the decision of the . Education Board'that the To Aro -'and Mitchelltown School Districts arc 'to.be amalgamated,'is resented by the committee representing the latter school, was evident from remarks made by the chairman of the Mitchelltowii School Committee (Mr. W. 11. Hampton) during an interval at a concert given in the school last evening. "We have done our utmost, to opposo this scheme," said Mr. Hampton. "Tho board makes much of the position that it will . savo tho State £1900. The board, however, says nothing of th'o additional cost which the new arrangement is going to entail to Mitchelltown residents who havo to send their children from one to one and a half miles extra distance to the other school." The speaker then criticised the board for spending money on a new school at KelbumO, which would bo:practically empty for another ten.ycarS.'"'The reason is," stated Mr. Hampton, "that one is a working man's locality, and the other is not." ' The speaker cave ah emphatic denial to the statement of the chairman of the board that- the amalgamation scheme had been agreed to at a conference with tho respective school committees.

It has been ,stated that until the time expires tho two commitees will act in conjunction, but this is discountenanced by a letter from Tc Aro School Committeo definitely refusing to meet tho Mitchelltown School Committee in conference.

A petition signed by 12 Mitchclltown householders, etc.,' was seiit to tho Education Board, objecting to the amalgamation.'' This petition (its promoters state) was hurriedly drawn up and forwarded before half tho districthad been canvassed. The reply received by tho petitioners from the board was to the effect that the matter had received careful consideration, and it was with extreme regret that tho board was unable to accede to tho request. The letter continued:—"Tho board is unable to obtain a grant of so large a sum as would be necessary for the erection of the additional rooms which -are required, while on tlio one hand there aro sufficient rooms available within a milo of the Mitchclltown School, and on the other, many educational works of 6rst urgency must be deferred in the absence of sufficient moneys for the erection of how buildings. Apart from the mere question of cost, however, the Mitchelltown site is quit* unsuited for' a _ very largo school, such as your petitioners contemplate. . . . The proposed change involves no loss of efficiency, but rather a gain. Tho younger children left at Mitchelltown will enjoy a greater dc- • grce of comfort in tho increased rocm to which, for two years at least, tley have been strangers, while- the o ; der ones will, in addition, have tho advantage of services of an individual teacher to each class; and tho board feels sure that on actual trial tho change will be generally approved."

Tlio matter will come up at next meeting of the Mitchelltown School Committee,! when it is understood the opposition will take more definite form.