PATRIOTIC COLLECTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1918, Page 3

PATRIOTIC COLLECTIONS.

THE CONTINUAL OALT, OX SCHOOL CIIILDBEX. Tlie growing practice of calling upon school children to contribute to every patriotic cause formed the snbjeet of discussion at the meeting of the Taranaki Board of Education yesterday. Tlie discussion Mas the outcome of a letter received from Mrs. Walker, vice-presideni; of the New Plymouth branch of tlie IMtish Red Cross Society, stating that, ar. requested by the head ofiic' of the society, ther Tiad asked school children in the district to contribute one penny weekly until "Our Par," October 13, in aid of the Red Cross Copper Trail. So far, several schools were taking part. To make contributions more general.the branch would like to organise a eompeti tion for all schools under the board, and they asked permission to do so- The rules of the competition would bo that each scholar should place his or her penny or more in a box in the '-chaol, privatclv and voluntarily, and that each Ivifhnr should kindly furnish ea<"h week particulars regarding the number on the roll and the amount collected. The a-"*n.rd eo\iM then be made per cnttita. Knoili week the name of the leading school, or po°siblv the first si\-. would !h> published. Dr. Walker and the writer proposed giving a small shield to commemorate the contest, and this would become the propertv of the school putting up the best proportionate contribution. J'r Trimble moved that the necessary permission be given. The chairmin. in seconding pro forma said it vrns with reluctance that he had to opno«e this, for the cause was undoubtedly a most worthy one. Teachers bad comnlair.ed to.him of the number of calk made on school children Quit* a mimiip;- of narcnti were not in a position to contribute weekly, and keenly felt *'■•, ,„.,:»;„„_ rp )li3 com p o tjtinn would only accentuate the position, and he '' ■ '<'d:t the boar.l should put a step to it. ,J >. Smith said that these calls placed (■i.illrcn who could not afford to give in a verv unenviable position. }.rr Wilkinson =a!d there wa.s plenty of wealth in the co-ntrv without calling on the children so often. Mr. Trimble w'.i.h'rcw his motion. On the motion of the chairman and Vr U'von, it was resolved that Mrs. Wslkpr he informed that, owing to the lnrne amount of recent calls on the -h.iritv of school children, the board revets it cinnot accede to the application.