MITCHELLTOWN SCHOOL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2147, 13 May 1914, Page 5

MITCHELLTOWN SCHOOL

A VIGOROUS PROTEST. A vigorous protest was advanced by the late committee of the Mitchelltown School in their annual report _ to the meeting of householders on Thursday evening, against the action of the Education Hoard in reducing the establishment to the status of an infant school, and amalgamating it with the Te Aro School. 'The committee contend that the Mitchelltown School lias been.penalised, after years of steady progress, on account of the hard work and enthusiasm of tho men who have constituted its several committees during past years. "In order to improve the school surroundings and give adequate playground for the children," the report proceeds, "the committee was successful ill obtaining from the City Council in 1000 the lease of about one acre of Town Belt, which has been improved out of all knowledge, and five tennis courts laid down, all at a cost of over £400, and much hard labour to the district. Now, the board, supported by the Education Department, and booked up by tho Government, takes up the attitude: That the school i 3 becoming toopopulai and its play-ground too. good for the children-of working men and women, therefore wo will close it and make them send their children ' past their own school and playground, to To Aro, ■where thev will bo overcrowded and unablo to'have a game unless 7o per cent, of the scholars stand huddleo against tho fences and school buildings, in order to make room for the other 2a per cent. This wi:l. no doubt, be denied, but such is the ctYo:t of the policy adopted. For the. last four years additional accommodation has been demanded at Mitchelltown in order to cope with the increased attendance, but the hoard has steadily refused, and stated that tho Department would not agree to the expenditure, that they had not the monev, etc. Your committee submil that additions to Mitchelltown were more urgent than tho elaborate structure at liolburne, ,and the money 6pent oil tho fence at tli'at school would have been sufficient to have relieved tho congestion at our school for some years to come." The report goes on to suggest thai instances in which money lias been found for other districts aro perhaps only the effect of political wire-pulling and log-rolling. It is also submittec that tho benefits of physical ediicatior aro nullified while the Education Boart refuse or neglect to supply sanitary cchools with" adequate play-grounds, li ia admitted that overcrowding at Mit chelltown has been done away with bj amalgamation with Te Aro, but againsl this' it is contended that Mitchelltowr parents will incur a considerable outlaj upon tram fares (in some families 2s. tc 3s. per week). Another point mado if that the To Aro playground is barelj sufficient, as things now stand, to s?iv< oach.child a space of Oft. by sft.. The Te Aro School, it is submitted, shouk on account of its .age, location, and style bo pulled down without further delay. Tlie committee, sums up its conton tions in tho following paragraphs:— "In cbnnection. with this question o amalgamation, your committee made strong protests to the board, and in ad dition a protest signed by 120 heiuse holders and parents—all without .effect We trust that every, person in the dis iriet will strenuously and consistent!; work for tho return of our school ti its proper status, with adequate accom moclation for all classes, and a replace nieni of tile whole of the school pro pcrty that has been removed sinci amalgamation."Wo would, also draw your attentioi io the manner in which our system o primary education is" being endangered Money can bo, found for every othe purpose, such as defence, colleges, tech nical and secondary education, etc., ani for ovory additional expenditure ii these directions, the primary schools ar correspondingly starved. As the pri uiary schools are the schools of the peo pie, and primary' education the onl education which the majority of ou children can. have the. benefit' of, w would ask of you to join with the par ents of other districts in the deman that tho be3t buildings, with best equip mont, shall ho our primary schools, air that thev shall be provided ' with th most highly qualified and adequately re numerated staffs." During the year the committee los two of its number—Mr. Chester, b resignation, and Mr. Capon, by removr from the district. The others, Messrs W. H. Hampton (chairman), M. Badge (secretary), H. M'Carthy. J. Dwyer, I Barcham, J. Flynn, and F. .A.. Elm, at tended practically every meeting hel during the terms.