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South Canterbury Times, Issue 2413, 10 December 1880, Page 2

It may be desirable to “ teach the young idea how to shoot,” but there is no necessity for rendering school children too precocious. During tbe past few days Timaru has been in a state of seige. At the last meeting of the Public School Committee it was resolved that a sum of £bo should be devoted to prizes for the children, and various means were approved of for raising the wind. In addition to the contributions exacted per circulars from parents, the public were to be invited to subscribe and it was resolved that subsequent to the distribution of prizes there should be an entertainment in the Theatre Royal. Since then the children attending the Timaru Public School have been armed with tickets and envelopes and turned loose on the population. We do not know whether this kind of drill is intended to improve their manners, but we must certainly' protest against the precocious child nuisance. Begging is objectionable in any shape or form, but to have troops of children rushing shops and public houses, canvassing from door to door like pedlers, and bailing up people in the public streets, is a deplorable state of affairs. It seems to us to be decidedly inconsistent with Hie sort of education which children ought to receive at tbe hands of State school teachers. Wc do not blame tbe children, for they are, doubt-

less, obeying orders, but we ' consider the conduct of those who have despatched them on these impudent excursions extremely reprehensible. It is bad enough to strut children on the stage like showmen 'before large audiences without stimulating Iheir natural audacity by converting them into canvassing agents. To turn them loose on the town in the capacity of hawkers of jcntertairiinenf ticket? is. certainly not,/he way respecU ful behaviour or good manners. It is about as pernicious: a kind of education as could well be invented, and we should imagine that those \Vllo ate'responsible for their present 'behaviour will, on reflection, foci disgusted with themselves. Under any circumstances parents who have the siightest _ regard for the future well-being of their children, will be safer to keep them out of school for a season than run the risk of their being utilised as hawkers of theatre tickets..