CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1526, 6 December 1883, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To THE BBITOR.

Sir, —I observe on looking over your columns to-day that the Featherston School Committeo held one of its important monthly meetings last week, at which the usual quartette were present, and their combined brains must have been very much exercised indeed, by the long lisfc of weighty subjects with which they wrestled, and I am sure you hardly gave the report sufficient prominence, having in "fact jput j't in rather an obscure comer, aa if it were not worthy of notice. I see, however, notwithstanding the obscurity -of • the report, that the Secretary was instructed to write to the head teacher re a resolution passed in October last. Now, this is very lucid, and reflects great credit on the Committee.' I believe there was a very hot disoussion, which lasted some tiino, before'-they brought forth this resolution which bears on the question of tho duration of interval allowed to the children" for play. According to the watches of the members of the Committee, the head tcachorallows nearly thirty-five seconds too long sometimes, and this is to be put a stop to at once, hence "the instructions" to tho secretary. Qnery— Did the committee attend daily to see that tho bell was rung at the proper intervals, or did they appoint a juvenile subcommittee to watch proceedings and report'! I cannot believe that any complaint has been made about the matter from parents outside the committee. When the committee take it upon themselves to stop-home anions, surely they won't bother aboulT* few seconds extra playtime. EeallJWksy are getting fastidious in their oloj|o. I am told, however, that the'head teacher is prepared to prove that tho " interval" has not been exceeded since the memorable "instructions" of J6th October last, The subject that should have claimed their most careful consideration, viz., the petition in favor of home work,is altogether ignored without any explanation being offered. I presume they are of the samo opinion as the member of the Education Board (who is acting as chairman of themselves) that there were not three names on the petition worth anythiug—the member referred to may yet have cause to rue this unguarded statement—or porliaps they are still waiting for that mysterious communication from the Teachers' Association, referred to by the same honorable member at tho Board meeting in October, which \m never turned up. In fact, I believe no one (excepting tho school committee) was mora surprised at the reference than the Association itself. I remember one thing the Teachers' Association did not very long ago, and that was to pass a resolution to tho effect that they considered it would be a very great misfortune to the schools if home lessons were interfered with, but it is to be regretted that our committeo did not coincide with this view aud said, in effect, that they knew better, aud of course they didn't. But, to be serious,' it is a sorrowful fact that a school committee should be allowed by the Board to act as this one has done, when it is apparent that they are not acting in accordance with tho wishes of a majority of the parents. Let us hope that country school committees will never have any greater powers than they possess at present, otherwise the whole system will prove a disastrous failure, The Featherston school committee has had three meetings, and the Education Board two meetings, sinco the petition in favor of the continuance of homo work was sent in, and yet nothing has been done in tho ' matter, and the committee have taken i advantage in tho meantime, owing to the supiiieuess of the Board, to arrogate powers which they never had, and the school as a wholo has to suffer. We aro thankful that the career of this noted committee is drawing to a close. Hoping that I shall not, through my explanation, bring down upon my venerable head tho anger of Mr" Ecce Homo," who wants to teach me how to spell able," my mpthor." I am, <k, Petitionek, Late "Parent No 3."