Foxton State School.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 9 December 1890, Page 2

Foxton State School.

The following report from Mr Ray, tho Secretary to the School Committee was received at the last meeting, and ordered to be forwarded to the parents of the children who were shown to have attended very irregularly during the last twelvemonts: — Mr Ray in reference to two disrespectful letters which the head teacher had received from the parents of two scholars, thought it was desirable that the attention of parents should be called to the importance of their assisting in upholding the authority of the teachers. Tde work of the school was interfered with, to the disadvantage of all the children, when children failed in heir respect and obedience to the teachers. Parents should accustom their children at home to speak respectfully of their teachers, and should themselves also avoid giving expression, in the presence of their children, to any opinions which would ten^ to lessen the children's respect for their teachers. With regard to the irregularity in the attendance of some of the children, theparentsshould consider: Ist. Its effect upon the children themselves; 2nd. Its effect upon those who were regular in their attendance and 3rd. Its effect upon the fund placed by the Board at the disposal of the commi tee for the benefit of the school. The children who were punctual and regular in thpir attendance, recoived a sound education ; but when childred wei'A absent, they lost the benefit of the lessons given in their absence. Each day's work covered eight lessons in various subjects ; so that a week's absence involved a loss of 40 lessons. These lost lesssons could not afterwards be taught to the absentees, when they returned to tho school, without keeping back in their work the children who were regular in their attendance. This caused great anxiety to the teachers, because they were obliged to send in to the standard examination children unprepared for the test, wlio might have passed creditably had they been regu'ar in attendance. At the last e- animation there were comparatively few failur- s amongst those who had attended regularly ; most of those who failed h »d been absent from 70 to over 300 half-days. One boy had actually thus lost as many as 1308 lessons. The number of teachers provided for the school depended upon the regular attendance of tho scholars. At present, there were 245 scholars on tho school register. If all these scholars were in regular attendance, the school would be entitled to eight teachers, namely, the head teacher, one assistant teacher, and six pupil teachers. If as many as 200 of them were in regular attendance, the school would be entitled to six teachers, namely the head teacher, one assistant teacher and four pupil teachers The average attendance however, was only 157, that was there was on average of 88 children (of course not always the same children) absent from school every day. In consequence of this largo number of absentees, tho school was only allowed four namely, the head teacher, an assistant teacher, and two pupil teachers. There were seven standard classes, and three preparatory classes in the school. Tho work of teaching these ten classes fell upon four teachers, if the average attendance of scholars W9ro raised to 201, the number of clns-03 would remain as at present, but tho work would be done by six teachers, instead of by four. It was clear that ten classes could not be as well taught by four teachers as by six teachers ; so that, the scholars who were regular in their attendance, wore not being as well instructed as they would be if the other scholars weie not irregular in attendance. An allowance was made to the committee by the Education Board for the purpose of keeping the school premises in order. The amount of this allowance depended strictly, not upon the mimber of children whose names wore on the school register, but upon the numbor actually a'tending every day. Ths average attendance being only 157, the amount of tho allowance was considerably les9 than it would be if all tho children wore regular in

with the small allowance they re-" ceived wera able to do very little to add to the comfort of the scLolars. With an increased allowance several improvements might be effected, including the planting ot shelter trees on the western side of the enclosure which were so much needed ; but at present the committee's hands, were tied forwantof funds. Parents would therefore see that by keeping their ehi'dren from school they were doing all injustice, not only to their own children, but also to their neighbours' children, were acting unfairly to the teachers, to whom discredit attached when the children failed to pass the standard examination, and were making even the school itself notorious as being one of the worst attended schools in the district controlled by the Wunga .vi Education I'oard.