COUNTRY SCHOOLS.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 101, 28 September 1878, Page 2

COUNTRY SCHOOLS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sra, — Tn looking over the rules and regulations of the Education Board for the district of Wang*aui, I was struck with tho | wonderful wisdom and deep thought of " the Powers that be," to have worked out such a remarkable scale of salaries for the teacheVs. To begin with : tli9 teaohers' salaries fluctuate with the weather ; for instance, m tho country diatriots, where children hare a long way to go, they are kent at home when tho weather is bad, and as the teacher ha 3 no control over tho elements, he can look upon every rainy day a' 9 so much out of his pocket. Again, suppose such a simple thing as whooping-cough breaks out, parents of course will not send their children. The salary may be supplemented by the committtee (with the sanction of the Board) and as they have that honor conferred upon them by the Board, I have no doubt that everybody will be anxious to be elected a eommittee«man. Next, the scale that the teachers are paid by for average attendance up to twenty-fire is £4 per scholar per annum ; from twentysix to thirty, £3 10s ; from thirty-one to thirty-five, £3 63 ; and so on. Now, Sir, the teacher that has an average of twentyfive scholars has a salary of £100 per year, and it decreases at a rate of £1 per head for all under that. Next, the teacher that has twenty-six scholars gets £31 per annum ; twenty-seven scholars, £94 10s j twentyeijjhfc scholars, £98, and so on. Well, Sir if it be worth £100 per year to teach twentyfive children, and it is not worth so much to teach twenty-eight, is one of those things which "no f ellah can understand." And again, for the teaching of an average of thirty-five, £115 103 is given, while he who leaches thirty-six receives only only £112 10s. Sir, I mu3t confess that we poor simple folk are at a loss to fathom where so much wisdom has been obtained, as is frequently shown m the- big towns. — I am, &c, AWAOTJBI,