Te Aroha Ohinemuri News UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 1889. COMPULSORY EDUCATION.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2095, 19 April 1898, Page 2

Te Aroha Ohinemuri News UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 1889. COMPULSORY EDUCATION.

The annual meeting of householders and residents, for the purpose of elect- • ing a School Committee for the ensuing year, takes place in the School House on Monday' evening next (25th inst.), when we hope *o see a large attendance. Judgihg from the poor attendance at the annual meetings, the interest taken of late years in this matter seems very languid. This may be a sort of compliment to the Committee, as the non - attendance of a larger number of the residents might be taken as an evidence of their entire satisfaction with the manner iu ■which.the Committee have performed their duties. We rether think, however, that the absence of the electors is due to their absolute indifference concerning the whole matter, and it is , much to bb regretted.that such a feeling should exist, especially in connection with anything relative to such a vitally important matter as education. The Committee are only human, and having their share of ail the imperfections of humanity, it is not to be expected that they have succeeded in satisfying everybody.. Take the matter of attendance for example. We gather , from returns laid before the Committee at their last meeting, that while there are 223 names on the Poll, the average attendance for the quarter was only. 173. This means tbat there are about 50 children continually absent; in other words, there are about as many scholars absent from Te Aroha school as would make up a decent school for districts 1 like —Waiorongomai or Te Aroha West. In a comparatively small and compact community like Te Aroha there ought not to be- such a difference between the nominal strength, and. the actual attendance, indeed such a state'' of matters is a reflection both on Borne of the parents, and the'committee. When we consider the and frivolous by parents for keeping their children, away from » school, -wp can hardly avoid arriving at the conclusion that the committee are seriously neglecting their . duty in not instituting proceedings against the habitual offenders. Absenteeism to' the extent we have indicated, is objectionable all round. It is a grave injustice to the children themselves; it is a hindrance to the general progress of the school, it lowers-the average, and so prevents . the Committee from handling that amount of . capitation money necessary to the proper conservation of school property, and it is; unfair to those parents who are endeavouring to do their duty in the mutter of securing the regular attendance of their children. We hope the new committee will deal with this matter more vigorously than their predecessors have done, as we feel certain that a few (and only a few) prosecutions under the compulsory clauses of the Education Act, would have the desired effect, atid drive home to s,.mo heads of families the much needed lesson that they cannot ignore the warnings they have ■- received, with impunity. Anyhow, './) whether the public agreo with our strictures on the Committee or not, we hope to see a good attend ince on Monday night, and a wholesome intere.-t.taken in their actions drning the past year. This continual indif- • fororice to the proper performance of public duty is unfortunat dy too prevalent, and is by no means a healthy sign. .