CRIBBING OF HOLIDAYS

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4448, 6 May 1930, Page 4

CRIBBING OF HOLIDAYS

HEADMASTER CALLS ATTEN tion to growing practice.

The attention of parents was called by the Headmaster (Mr. R. J. Foss) of the Levin District High School, at the householders’ animal meeting to a practice which had grown up in certain directions of keeping children away in anticipation of the legitimate holidays. He said there had been a tendency for parents not to allow their children to continue attendance to the end of the school week. He knew well enough that the children were very useful to (heir parents, but it seemed that their maximum of usefulness c-ame about Friday afternoon. It was not proper to take ipupils away at (hnl time, and a. corrective of the practice was available by pulling the matter in the hands of the Truant Officer. He did not want to do that, but desired to point out that the practice of which he complained was not fair to the school, to the teacher, and, mainly, to the child. The State said that the parents were only entitled to the children at such times as the school did not require them. Thai night seem a hardship to some people, but it was statute law. The very lasi thing lie wished to do was to invoke (he law; and lie was sure' that, now that he had brought the matter before Hie parents, they would prevent a recurrence of the trouble. If a holiday was commencing on May 9th, he did not wish parents to make arrangements to go a wav on the Bth. 'flic regulation staled that lie was to prosecute the parent if a child was taken away before the due time. He did not wish to do that but wanted parents to co-operate to prevent the practice referred to and so make it unnecessary for him to report it. Nineteen parents took their children away just before the last Easter holidays. That; was not fair.

In conclusion lie appealed to parents to co-operate in making Friday afternoon short comings very much fewer in the future.