The Feilding Star. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24, 18s3. THE EDUCATION BOARD.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 63, 24 January 1883, Page 2

The Feilding Star. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24, 18s3. THE EDUCATION BOARD.

1 ♦ The public meeting of householder^ called by the Secretary of the Education Board ior the District of Wangauui, to be held at the school house. Feildin (r , on Monday evening last, i lapsed for the want of a quorum of the retirii)"* school committee, and also from the fact that there wa.s not a single householder present, fo take part in the proceedings. We are prepared to admit, thao the date for which the meeting was called, bein<r a public holiday, was inconvenient, and showed a want of consideration on the part of the convener of the meeting-- He must have known that on .such a day many heads of families were not likely to be able to attend a public meeting, and that a ready excuse for non-attendance was provided for the dilatory, of which full advantage was taken. Even although these excuses were available, vet we do think that a little more interest shuuld have been taken, and a better attendance of householders secured if the retiring* cjinmittee had shown a more lively interest in the intended proceedings. It may be true that the attempted central zation of all power and authority in the Wanganui Board makes the position of a committeeman on a Local lioard not a very responsible one, yet it must bo remembered that school committees have powers and privileges conferred on them by the Act, which, if wisely used, would keep a great amount of power in the hands of members. When the Wan-o-anui Board iinds that school comes mittees are apathetic and indifferent in lhe exercise of the powers entrusted to them, it follows as a natural consequence that for their own honor and reputation they must arrogate these powers to themselves, and deprive committees of them when they are permitted to become a dead letter. When so little active part is taken in the election of cominitteemen by the parties most interested — tliat is by tinhands of families — the members who permit themselves to be nominated and elected naturally enough feel tha; they are conferring' an obligation vn householders by accepting" the position and performing the duties in even the most perfunctory manner. If nay dissatisfied |>areut should complain of iuattent O 1 or neg C'r, he has no possible redress, inasmuch as his opinion — for or ag-ainst — is a iimrter of per feet indifference to tuu committee. Where the position as a member of any public body is not considered worth contesting for when it is only obtainable by alection, such position must necessarily be held in a certain degree of contempt. And yet what can be a more honorable responsibility to accept than that of assisting to educate and form the minds of the rising generation ? The benefits of education to the individual and the community at large are incalculable. No one can be found to contradict this — everyone admits its truth — and our fathers of families stop there. They do not appear to think that any individual effort on their part is needed. This is entirely a mistake — the result of want of reflection, or too much dependance upon others. In conclusion, we have to inform our readers that another public meeting will be called at an early date, when it is to be hoped that every parent who has a child attending the State school will consider it a duty to attend and take a warm interest in tiie election of a committee for the following year. It is a duty they owe to themselves and to the State.