Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, FEB. 9, 1895. To Parents.

Manawatu Herald, 9 February 1895, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, FEB. 9, 1895. To Parents.

We commend to the earnest atten* tion of parents and guardians . of children of school age to the report of the proceedings at the last meeting of the Foxton School Committee. During the lasts session of Parliament an Act was passed " to proino"te regular attendance, at . tha public schools, and certain fttitiM were cast upon the committees which they are expected to carry out. From the report, above referred to, it will be noticed that the local committee intend to do their duty without fear or. favour and they appear to be setting very systematically about their work. First, it will be seen, it has appeared to the oommittee that the reports from the Headmaster can only refer to those children whose name appears upon, the school roll. If the Act is not to be a farce, it is meant to be far more reaching, and the movements and attendances of every child within the two miles radius of the school must be recorded. The Committee, have therefore arranged to have compiled, at the earliest possible moment, a census of all children within that radius, under thirteen years of age. The boasted statement that our system of education is free and compulsory, is all nonsense, but the local committee apparently have no desire to treat parents differently, hence the census will enable all to be made to "toe the line." - At present as there are certain children

'reported upon, instructions have been given to the Secretary to at once notify their parents of clause 8 of the Act under which eVei-y child between the age of seven years and thirteen years is required to attend some school at least six times a week, morning attendances and •afternoon attendances being separately counted. In other words a child must attend three Whole days out of the five days the school is open. Failing a satisfactory excuse, which appears to be only — that the child is under efficient and regular instruction elsewhere ; or unable to attend by reason of sickness, danger of infection, temporary or permanent infirmity, or other unavoidable cause ; or has passed the prescribed standard ; — the Secretary has been authorised to proceed at once, without delay, in issuing summonses. We have gone thus fully into the report as, unfortunately, it is evident a number ot children are not sent to school as regularly as the . Act requires, and that the parents appear to be to blame more than the children are. The sooner parents understand that besides the duty they owe their children they have a duty they owe to the State, the better it will be for one and all. The community will be generally better educated, the expenditure on education will provide some quid pro quo, and the children will be as proportionately benefited. In case these may be not all sufficient reasons we may point out the Act provides a penalty of- forty shillings.!.. far-, not obeying the order of the Court, and the parent is also liable to a penalty of two shillings for every week in which the child shall have attended less than six times. It may be also advisable to point out that in any dispute as to the age, distance, or other matter the onus of proof is placed upon the parent and not on the committee. ! The Fox ton School has commenced the year well, and the committee earnestly desire to see it prosper and increase, they have shown their readiness on all occassions to forward the interests of the school and they feel that by the exercise of a little stricter supervision over their children parents might lend most material aid. That this may prove to bo the case we also earnestly hope, and we call upon tho inhabitants to lend the assistance sought.