THE TOWN SCHOOL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 78, 28 April 1909, Page 4

THE TOWN SCHOOL.

To the Editor. Sir,—The discussion oil Monday night . concerning the Central School finances showed that there is something wrong witlutliv system of providing our muchvaunted free, secular, and compulsory education. Apart from the general aspect, there are peculiar features about the working of this school which make it secni necessary to revise the system that has ton 'adopted. The Central school district has two separate establishments, tho infant school in Cour-tenay-street and the main school. It will readily be admitted that this adds to the expense of maintenance. The Education Board has paid capitation to the committee fo r a school of approximately (500 pupils, whereas the committee now suggests that it should be paid as to two separate schools having an attendance of 400 in one case and 200 in the other. The allowance per capita decreases as the attendance increases, so that if the Board can be brought to see vyo to eye with the committee in this respect the school funds will benefit. This aspect iwas fully discussed liy thc meeting, and it was also clearly shown that it was quite impossible to carry on the school with the allowance made. The cost of cleaning practically absonbed the capitation grant last year, leaving very little for incidentals ami secretary's salary. The only way t.> keep the square, it was pointed out, was for the teachers, at the instigation of the committee, to give entertainments, ami the mention oi that opened another subject for discussion. There were no two opinions, the speakers were unanimous in denouncing the system oi raising funds 'by school entertainments. The llev. Mr. Osborne said it was not fair to the teachers, and not fair to the children, for preparing for concerts disorganised the work of the school and turned the attention of the children from the subjects which the teachers were there to teach. Mr. 3. drant, who spoke iwith an earnestness born of knowledge, and knowledge horn of experience, lamented the fact that Education Boards displayed « tendency to encourage school concerts. If "a headmaster refused to sacrilice his reputation as a teacher 'and the educational weltare of his pupils by getting up sclioo' concerts in aid of the funds he was Viewed unfavorably by the Board. It was a dastardly thing' said Mr. Grant, that the Boards should bolster up the Government in its policy of paving for the education system o'uk.of tile energies of the head teachers and committeemen. Mr. S. W. Shaw objected to school concerts not only on these grounds but because they kept tiny children out in the night air when they would be better in .bed. All of which is perfectly true, but unfortunately the position is not going to be greatly improved iby one or two school committees allowing their funds to fall into arrears. United action might be of some effect, and a suggestion was made at the meeting by Mr. Rudil that the committee should treat the matter in a general way, with a view oi enlisting the sympathies and assistance of other committees. But it ,was thought that the Central was in a much worse position than any other committee, and the meeting should act with regard to its own affairs. It would probably be hard to persuade all school committees to give up _ the annual school children's concerts in aid of the school funds for !r„f°7 U ' M™'" tl ' ada ' rs nt foi then- popularity upon their a i 'T to i " 1 'c ll » iso successful concerts. And, too, the school concert is the concert of the year i n many localities. The subject is one that admits of anv amount of argument, and it will he interesting to note how the committee pioposes to re-establish i( 8 f iniu ,eos without the usual concert appeal to the pockets of the people. Something must he done, for the committee owes it< secretary £2O, a nd other debts have to hir Pa t«\l 15 !1 ° mo " c - v ' 11 is u »- . to t secretary to allow the present state of aliairs to continue for it is admitted that he earns every penny of his salary and takes a real live hi terest m his work. fl e lias very <n?ner. hst y ve° l r' rCd /° rc " olmco ,lis «'#»n to last ye.n s salary, but Ido not expect for a moment that that way of settlinassistants upon the young lives in own' bo!' <r f' i/'" 1 ' sai<l >''< o\ n ba\ s by their conduct quite refuted , lie of -repeated assertion that to "em! 1 "tiritli- ' l "" xc< ' I'l'W'c school was praeI f Mil, encompassing his n,i„. H( ! ! . hilled much of the .nana of the \ v l' eb ,Seh ," 0110 nun, or the minis there ™„g,, Mr. ih.mp.eys 01 ,;,!;^^;;; 1 I'AUEXT. ''