Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 1919. SUPPLY OF SCHOOL MATERIAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2013, 9 August 1919, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 1919. SUPPLY OF SCHOOL MATERIAL.

FOR, a good many years we have heard at different times a desire expressed, sometimes a demand made, dial in order to save expense to parents there should be a uniform series of reading-books throughout the schools of the Dominion. More recently the demand, or the request, was extended to include school text-books generally, and was still further extended in the direction of having those printed by the Government. Times change and ideas grow, very often much faster than

1 he power of to realise them. The School' Journal has to some extent appeased the demand for uniform reading-hooks; though it' has rather shown how the demand might be met by more capable hands than met it. Still, it was a beginning. If the Government can supply reading matter for the schools, why can it not supply writing material? And if reading matter and writing material, why not all the material that is required' in ' the schools, which are themselves supplied by the Government? a » * »

IN this matter the Government represents the people; it belongs Ho the people, even as the schools belong to the people. It provides the schools because that can be better done by the Government than by any other agency. It supplies the reading matter, the School Journal, because reading matter can be better supplied in, that way than by the old method. Why should it stop short there? There is no sound reason why, and the time ha-; come when the beginning that was made with the School Journal should be carried to a finish, and ail the necessary supplies of the schools provided from the Government stores.

The Government recognises this principle in the other departments of its varied functions. It has its Railway Stores, and its Post and Telegraph Stores, and its Public Works Stores, and it supplies tho requisites of its own special schools; why npt for all the schools ? The only reason is that the idea lias not yet grown.'sufficiently strong to force itself upon the attention of the authorities. But, to repeat, ideas grow; and this one will grow. When the public, who own both schools and Government, and who have to pay for school material, either through the Government or “through the nose,” begin to realise tlnjt they are paying twice and three times as much for their children’s school requisites as they need, they will compel the Government to “sit up and. take notice.” They will refuse to pay sixpence for an exercise book that could be supplied for threepence, or to pay two shillings for a book that should cost only about ninepence. * * * *

BUT what about the expense? This question is inevitable, and the answer to it is the strongest argument against the 'old system and in favour of a change. If it be true that the business of the State is the rearing of citizens, and the duty of parents is the bringing up of children to he good citizens of the State, then the present system places the heaviest burden on those who give the best service to the State, since those who do most towards the education of children are called upon for the heaviest outlay on school requisites; and the outlay is in many cases a very serious tax. It would be immeasurably cheaper for the State to purchase all this material in bulk and distribute it from stores as required. The addition to the Government’s, that is the people’s education outlay would he only a fraction of the outlay now incurred by the parents; and it would be distributed over the whole community, and not, as now, fall as an impost on parents. It is the acknowledged duty of the Government to provide for the education of its people, 'and common sense demands that the Government should carry out its whole duty*- and not leave this large and important part of it undone. In this matter the school committees, which represent the parents, should insistently and persistently press this matter upon the authorities until it receives attention. During he coming election they will have Their opportunity. Let them not neglect it.