Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite. MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 1884. SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 50, 28 January 1884, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite. MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 1884. SCHOOL COMMITT EE ELECTIONS.

» — - ..- .. Vert. probably not' many iif our readers m town; and country will remember that this evening is the date appointed for holding the annntil meetings of householders m the various school districts, for-the purpose of receiving the annual reports ; ot 'the' co'mmMees for the past yeai'j and to elect -mew committees for the current year. This provision is 'm accordance with the 64th clause of "The Education Act ? 187J," It;;is further notified Ihatoach of the School Oormnittec* to' be appointed as above shall bold jts first meeting immediately after the animal meeting of householder* on the same evening, and shall thereat elect one of. its members to be : chairman for: the ensuing year, his name m each case to be forwarded at once to the Board's Secretary. By means of its country and towns edition, the Standard wijl, reach nearly all the siwroflnduig districts during this afternoon or. eyepine, and therefore wo fake occasion to remind householders of .their duties m regard to the district schools} ana we trust that no lack of interest m sudh an important matter will be manifested. The following are among the official list of outside school districts, Which ,will be reached by the Standard before this evening : — Greaffovd, Bulls, Parawaimi, ' Halcombe, Bunnythorpe, ; Makiuo-road, Feilding, Ashurst, Sunson, '• Awahiiri, Tabttui, Stoney Cr ; eek, Carnarvon, Karere, Jackey,town, .foxtop, Moutoa, ,£jtanwayj,a > nd l .Manchester. We 'would impress the residents of &\\ these localitie.H,' f not forgetting the important . fccbool district of Palmerston North, the importance of there being; a full attendance bf householders. T he hneet jngs4ake place m the several schoolhpuses, at half past seven o'clock. We would point out that these nieetings are of :speqal importance as arJTect■ihg' the good management, of ! the school*' for the ensuing yeur, and parents should make it a point to attend. They should further vote only for those who they are assured, will take an interest m the school^ ahd do their utmost to enhance the benefit, of education to the pupils attending them! 1 The system of cupmlative /voting i'fe generally condemned, as: by. means of a "clique" and a few "plumpers," a quite unsuitable -and m fact very undesirable man may be elect< d to the position of member of School Committee. A' Sbutherh contemporary points out that it is greatly to be regretted : that everywhere throughout the pro\incial 'district 1 there seems a laxity of interest m. relation to the election of the local administrators of .our, schQpls,.^oine:of the evils ofA which have been keenly enough' fe.lL m some . cases and i the results of which cannot fail to ultimately, prove injurious to the cause of education. Wliat•e\|er may be'; the" vklue of school coniV.itiees^aTid *on ihis there is soime divergence of opinion — one thingj is sure that, so long as they exist, and, aa. long- as they are entrusted with the supervision of education m their seyeraVdis.lricts, these committees should contain among them the \ery best men that can be found m the district. We may rest assured that the deU-gation of powers to unworthy hands will tend Ito degrade, tbe system and to^deteriora-., tion m the. character of the teachers; and t wl)erkw.Q\cbnsider the importance! of high character and tone m the teachers, m their bearing 1 on the minds of ihe pnpils, and stf on the^whole body of future colonists, we should regard it a.s a duty incumbent on every parent ahd ,every fi;rend pf'the. Slate to do all that can' be done to have the very best :of ; the community entrusted with the local administration of the school?. And/jvyjien we ; further consider that the. Board qf Education te elt'cted by the T gp!ipol pommittces, wo oannnt expect Hire streanil tP rise higher titan the fountain, and we may prepare ourselves for the fact that if we fall into the practice of electing" inferipiwpersons, j^ fcfce. coin- ;- mittees, the Board itself will vory soon exhibit the marks of deterioration. From all these considerations we urge upon the householders, more especially parents of children, m. every school district to consider it a duty and obligation to attend at the meetings, and "not to allow themselves to be influenced by personal considerations only m the matter of oholce of school committees. Let them elect men _who are. .capable of discharging. l lntieSirenttgßte^ to them, and who will regard the position 1 as one of trust and responsibility, and who will further take an active persorial interest m the -affairs ;of the school. "We have done our duty m drawing attention prominently to the date, hour, and place, and objects of/ |he -meetings^ and it remains with the parents, that is ho,tiseh.ohier>i, according tq the wording of the Act, 1g attend , the meetings and take part m the proceedings, "with a view to. ensure the satisfactory working of the school*, so as to maintain and : increase their efficiency, m the interests ; * of the rising generation, and both" directly ' atffr indirectly, of tho conp munitv at largo. We trust ourpresebt remarks \vill beproducUve of satisfactory ; results m the desired direction. ' i1