ALEXANDRA SCHOOL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 247, 24 October 1872, Page 8

ALEXANDRA SCHOOL.

(To the Editor.)

Sib, — Having read your correspondent's remarks with some attention, regarding the high price charged for books, was I rafter surprised to find that he in common with others consider the price chargod a •small matter. Now whether the matter be small or great, depends greatly on how one is situated. Take for instance a mother with four or five children attending school,- four or five books to provide for each of them, aud new copies every four or five weeks, without, one shil-

ling of an income for months "together. Then and not till then, does this small , matter eipand into one of immense magnitude. She struggles on for some time, heaven knows how, in hopes lof better times. One by, one is taken from school, until she is even obliged to take her eldest, although she may run an account for fees, the books and copies .are ready money. Then she reflects perhaps with as some bitterness that the teacher has sixpence on mott books and fourpence on each copy. She comes to the^ conclusion * ihat if the , teacher and school committee consider fcheaistelves gentlemen they are very unfeeling ones. ' 1 am inclined-ta blame the Education Board, for allowing a gentleman without either business site or license to sell say copiesatsispepse, when men possessing both, retail them at threepence. But why not purchase them at the store, some o no may say. "Why not? That'sthe rub. There is,the root of the evil in allowing teachers to dabble in mercantile speculations. We can send copies, certairfly, but mothers are afraid tbe master won't teach them. • 'Not that l,mean to insinuate that-sacb is the case,-- -indeed, T .am sure our teacher is above suob meanness. But that u> teacher has it in his power to. neglect any particular child, should he feel sa inclined, must be apparent even to the most obtuse, I will now conclude by stating.it js no small matter jn the. eyes of anxious mothers to see their children "running about in school * hourg, e&peoially when she knows the ,-. power* that be could, if r\St remove tlie „.-c ause, afc. least alleviate it. — Tours , truly, \ - Anxious Mothers. Extract of a minute passed by the Ura .School Committee at a yieetimg held cm the &h of October ]873, -Move4| seconded and carried, that Mr. . tf «d> report for~tH.ii quarter ending 30th Sept, together with »v efofeque fop fifteen j>ounu"s,lop' school fees in excess of his salary, §6' received and adopted with thanks, Hnd th^t' thta oommittee deaires tp convey to him; tftid Miss 'jfraser their pincere qongrat^Utions on the highly ' patisfactory state of the e^hod, imder. their comhmQd management, ,T»ad pqpeciajljr ho express 3. sense pi ttelr eijtirp Oondd^uce in Mr, R*jd%fifofe^iiQnalabilir ties, and their feigtort respect tovh'm » ' faatleoMHl,