CORRESPONDENCE.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 18 December 1917, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To The -Editor.)

Sir, —Will you kindly allow me .-space to ventilate a most important matter — the secondary education Avhich children in this district receive at the Levin District High School. This school—the secondary repartment—draws its pupils from the Avliole district bet.Aveen Shannon and Paekakariki, and I understand there are a splendid lot of scholars. We should have one of the finest high schools in the province, but, judging by results, there is room for considerable improvement in the school. During the past Aveek or so, the secondary scholars have been practically Avasting their time. On at least four days the greater part of the time has been spent in cleaning the seats of th'e grandstand at the Levin racecourse, _ and in preparing the grounds, in readiness for the school's annual picnic, and the balance of the school hours has been devoted to anything but steady Avork. Now, sir, I, ag a parent of one of the scholars, enter my protest against this kind of thing'. A number of the children referred to have to leave their homes at from 6 to 7'a.m. , and do not get back again until 4 and 5 p.m. Many of their parents are making considerable sacrifice to enable their children to attend the school, and then to find that the time is wasted in this manner is most galling. If the teachers cannot give the scholars any good, wholesome instruction during the last Aveek or tAvo of the school term, it would be far better for parents to keep their children at home, to assist, with farm or garden Avork, etc. Apart from this aspect, there is the bad example set the scholars, xhe children get the impression that, once the examinations are through, their work is done for the and they can do as they like- ibis is a very serious matter, calculated to have a bad effect on the children, and I, for one, strongly protest against the school teachers encouraging such a wrong view of things. lam not writing in an a spirit of common fault-findmg, but with a view to remedying an evil which, I beli-'ve, is a serious one, and I trust that you, Mr Editor, will take up the cudgels on behalf of the education of oui children, and for the good name of the Levin District. High School._l am, etc. PARENT. Otnki, December 17.