FOURTH SCHOOL.

Evening Star, Issue 3325, 16 October 1873, Page 2

FOURTH SCHOOL.

To the Editor. It is quite refreshing to see such a lively interest taken in educational matters. The Fourth School seems to be considered. si*ch a boon that all parties "are likely to be quite disappointed if it is not placed witbiu a stone's-throw of their own particular door. Now that is carrying matters rather far. Lord Lytton's admirable remark, " The greatest good to the greatest number," should be the principle acted upon in choosing a site. I have no patience with those who complain if their children have half-a-mile to go to school. It is common enough at home fur them to walk miles without ever thiuking they are badly off. Surely the children in the Colonies are as hardy and capable of walking as far* as those of the old country. The truth is, we are so much in the habit of getting our paternal Government to do everything for us, that it has greatly undermined our own self-reliance. We are like spoilt children—very clamorous and never satisfied. Those who object to the Octagon site seem to forget that the new school is not only to supply a much-felt want in providiug additional accommodation for the increasing number of childrea, but it is also to be a training school for training boys and girls to became teachers. The scarcity of teachers has never been so much felt as at

present So this training school will not only be ft boon to Dnnedirt. hut to the whole Province* This i» another important reason for selecting a central site, becau-e it would be unfair to place it in an out-of-the-way place, as it is desirab 1 e to encourage young men and women who have a natural bent for teaching to come not only from all parts of Dunedin, but from the suburbs, to ho trained under its wing. It is to be hoped that all interested will go to the meeting on Friday night, so that the subject may he thoroughly discussed before it is finally settled, —1 am, Ac., A Ratepayer. Dunedin, October 16.