OPEN COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 138, 4 November 1914, Page 2

OPEN COUNCIL.

Plli'oiCAL BKILIj AND WHITE' SHIRTS. To tiic Editor, 'Sir,—ln those days of war and its <-ons«iueuccs, the public have little time to think of the worries of individual persons or districts. 1 trust, therefore, that your readers will forgive me at this critical time for airing what appears to the writer to be a ridiculous fad, The Government physical drill instructor has coiue and goile, and with all due respect to him and the teachers, I think there is a danger of even physical drill being carried too far. In tho first place, I understand from the boys attending a country school in Taranaki that "teacher says: I must wear a white shirt. It is part of the physical drill scheme." Now sir, thirty or forty .boys clad in white shirts and dark pants in a massed squad may form a pleasing spectacle, and present a smart appearance. But who is going to be the washerwoman? In this, as in most other districts, the working class is in the majority, and in the country most of tho farmers' wives are already overworked. I know families here where three and four boys attend school whose mothers assist with the milking, feed calves, etc., and do other work on the farm, as well as cooking, washing, sewing, and house-work for a big family. Surely the teacher in the country who asks his boys to wear white shirts to school must be a very Ihon-jhtless individual. lint there —we need not blame only the teat".'ici's since our own husbands and brothers are helping to tir.y -Uv Giii'iick hia £BOO. Hcmtmiier "tV general election, mo thers, and remember, too, the so-called. Kcform (uiverument and this £6OO. And think also of the unfortunate kick-blockers--knee-deep in mud in winter, and in many cases without a telephone or regular mail-service. And since wo fan pay one man a magnificent salary to travel from town to town, aiul instruct teachers about iiv«. hours per day (and those who pay .him work twelve and sixteen), why not build bath-rooms and instal hot water for our country schools? Then « f . might also employ a competent per**" to take charge of tie daily bath (and v shins and toweia), that is also a part of Mr liarlick's instructions That would be a "real reform," since'it would lvleve many already over-worked motheis. I his part of physical <U'iil course is a'right in theory, but a few of these big tiim-ied folk should' change billets with the average farmers' or working--mi'ii's wives, anil I fancy Ihev would modify their ideas in less'tiian no time. A little is all very well, hut wheu it comes to adding fresh'burdens to those already fainjfing at the wash-tub, then it's time to tsop. We. could dispense with a jroßil many of the MX* or the present education system in the country schools—without harm to the sch.liars. I am, etc., UTOPIA. Omata, November 2, 11)14.