ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE ALEXANDRA SCHOOL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 734, 12 May 1876, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE

ALEXANDRA SCHOOL.

tWe do not hold ourselves responsible for opinions expressed by correspondents.]

(TO THK EDITOR OK THB DURST AN TIMES.) Sir— lsoebythe Tuapeka Times bf the 26th of April that “ Mother ” has once more taken up her pen to comment upon the Alexandra School, its teachers, parents, committee, and savage children. She calls my letter an attempt to gloss over or to oxElain Mr Petrie’s very plain report upon the chooL Now allow me to inform her that my letter was no such thing, that she has altogether mistaken its animus and its intention. In my letter I dealt with simple -and undeniable facts; her’s, is a commentary upon things in general, and nothing in particular—she only quotes one silly argument to show that the School was inefficient ; that where she speaks of the answer made by the dux of the School—why if she only considers for a minute she must see that the answer, absurd as it was, was only given in a moment of perplexity or nervousness : children when examinedjby a stranger should first be set at their ease and taken quietly, if it is desired that they should answer up to their attainments ; it is very easy to puzzle a youngster in such a state that he does not know whether he is on his head or his heels. In all her letters the same tone pervades, but let us see whether the veteran scribbler as she is, has struck at the root of the evil in (Alexandra. She always gives the blame to the teacher, and seems to forget that his position as regards the children is only a secondary one. Education of children is often spoken of as if it were preeminently the education of the whole man -this is a mistake, the peculiar importance of youthful education, lies in the consideration that it leaves the foundation stone upon which man can enlarge and expand in years of maturity. The Schoolmaster and the parents share the responsibility of childhood education, but not equally, The parent’s obligation rests in the education of his child, by precept, by example, and by sympathy in his studies, he is morally bound by the love which rests between him and his child to help it onwards, to bear the burden of its tasks, he must co-operate with the teacher’s efforts, he must loose no opportunity to raise a healthy feeling between his child and the teacher if he has the slightest wish for its improvement. Does such a feeling as this exist in Alexandra ? not very generally—from the moment a teacher rests his foot in Alexandra, the children of. some families are immediately transformed into larbertst'cct detectives, not a move he gives, not a word he says, not a punishment he inflicts, not a failing he possesses, but is immediately transferred with interest to the Home-Office. This habit is fostered at home sows very bad seed. 1 shall intrude no farther upon your valuable space, nor shall I again trouble you.—Your’s, &c., Uno Huiam.