MIXED SCHOOLS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 88, 12 April 1878, Page 2

MIXED SCHOOLS.

To the Editor op the 'Evening Mail.' Sir—lt is now nearly twenty years'since I wrote against this pernicious system, which was then officially upheld. I did so, not only from my recollection of early life in England but from my experience in a very short period that I undertook the management of one of the Nelson Suburban schools. The letter of « Alpha-Beta" in your issue of March 15th has again opened up this most important matter. In thinly peopled districts under the Government system of education the evil is difficult to overcome. But anyone travelling through these districts must have been struck by the vile and filthy language of boys of very tender age; and those parents who are compelled to send their young sons (to say nothing of daughters) to such schools have a difficult task to check the filthy language uttered without meaning by. their children. The difficulty of removing this evil is acknowledged. I tried the experiment of sending the boys away a quarter of an hour before the girls were dismissed; but that was of no avail, as they loitered about until the girls came out. I then tried the opposite plan, but with a similar result " Home influence " is required. I am, &c, Omega.