OUR SCHOOLS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1810, 12 February 1884, Page 2

OUR SCHOOLS.

TO THB KDITOK. Sir. — The much-vexed question of education in connection with the Cambridge school has been brought before the public so much of late most people must be sick of the topic. So am I, but in the present unsettled state of affairs a few remarks from an outsider like myself, who takes no part in any of these public affairs, either on one side or the other, and who, having neither kith nor kin connected with the school, has leally no interpst in the matter, may perhaps do some little good. It has been said m my hem ing, and also to me 'ndividually more than once dm ing the last ten days, that certain parties are so disgusted (goodness knows what at !) that they have combined not to send their children to the high school, and therefore by thus withdrawing the " sinews of war," i.e., the necessary funds, of course the school roust fa.il and be eventually closed ! If this is true what is the motive? There is a. vulgar but very true saying about a man "cutting his nose off to spite his own face," and I certainly think this remark applies to these remarkably short-sighted individuals. If they have any grudge against the Board of Education, or are annoyed about the recent election of the Cambiidge school committee, keeping their children from the school and thus retarding their education, or even sending them to other schools, will not i'ffect any of these gentlemen in the least ! If the parents wish to show their high opinion of Mr Stewart, and what full confidence they have in him, why don't they rally round him, and send all the children they can muster? Let them scour ths highways and bye-ways, and pour the youngsters in, big and little, until both High School and Primary School overflow. We hear a great deal about eucoui aging " local industries. " Is not a High School a local industry, which ought to be encouraged for the sake of our increasing population, and for the facility it affords parents for keeping their childien at home under their own care, and at less expense? Everyone agrees that things have been worse in Cambridge during the last six months than e\er they weie before, as legards business, &c. Well, I think the success of a school in any town adds greatly to the prosperity of that town in a financial point of view, and surely it ib to the interest of all in Cambiidge to tiv and give an impetus to the place, instead of retaidingits progress. I ask any patent, which costs the most (ii respective of fees), sending their childien to school, or keeping them at home ? Look what a number of necessaries they require ! They must be neater .aid better dressed than if they were at home ; tlieje must be a horse and conveyance of some kind for their special use (with all attendant expenses) if they ride or d live. If they walk they require more boot>« and shoes, besides lots of other tiifles " too numerous to mention," like articles in a sale, and surely the money spent on these things must be some addition to the business of the town ! Theie was plenty said at first in favour of getting the High .School, and men, instead of standing " shoulder to shoulder,'* like the gallant " six hundred," and endeavouring to make the school such a success as to encourage friends and parents a gi eater distance off to send more pupils wo hear about " withdrawing the sinew ,s nf war," so that it may perhaps have to b<j closed ! Shame on you, men of Cambiidge ! You who are for or against Mr Stewart. What have the committee done that you should so sacrifice the inteiv-ts of your town ? They acted to the best of their ability, as they thought, for the good of the school, and, I do firmly believe, with no peisonal feeling against anyone. I don't know who drew up the resolution which was read by Mr Sargent at one particular mepting. (I forget the date), but it was generally considered a most able and impartial one. The two subject- brought forward were : The bad effect it had on the children having such a constant change of masters in the high school, and the system of corporal punishment to girls, matters certainly requiiing serious consideration. Without entering at length into the subject of the head mastership, I think the master of the high school ought to be independant of the master of the pi unary school. Being a man of greater learning and higher abilities, he ought to leceive a salary in accordance, with his attainments. Is not the labourer worthy of his hiie? And, if a Umvoisity man, he has certainly had to pay deaily enough for his education. Why do paients send their children to the high school ? Is it not to learn those branches of education which the master of the primary school is not capable of teaching ? If, on the other hand, theie is to be one master over the whole he ought to be educated accordingly, so as to be competent to supervise all the studies. In these remarks I am not insinuating one word against Mr Stewart, who, as far as he goes, may be an excellent master, but even his warmest partisans cannot expect to _ keep him here for ever, and it is to be hoped he is not the only good master in the colony ! Surely there are as good fish left in the sea as ever camo out of it. Re corporal punishment, I am surprised that any parent should for a moment allow a master to think he approved of " strapping " his daughter (I was going to say " thrashing," but that term might be ob.jeo.ted to), Surely there are ways of punishing a girl effootually without a man raising his hand to her ? Even if such a thing were allowed in a school composed entiiely of girls it would be objectionable, but it i.s degrading in the highest degree in a mixed school ; indeed, it is a most effectual way of hardening any child, boy or girl. It you, who are fathers, wish your daughters to lose that modesty, that sensitiveness and delicacy of feeling which is a woman's greatest charm, then let them be "strapped" publicly in the presence of great boys, to some of whom the spectacle is no doubt highly amusing, You little that gieat evils spring from pmall beginnings. A boy goes to school to learn, we suppose, amongst other things, right from wrong. He sees his master raise his hand against a gill, perhaps too dull or nervous to do her task, or we will even say naughty. How do you know but what that boy, your own son, may grow up to be a Qruel brother, a soornp qf women, a bad son to his own mother, a wife beater ? Oh ! whatever you do, no matter what master you hay c in your school, do your utmost to put a stop to this corporal punishment to your daughters. Teach your sons to be kind to and respect girls, so that when they grow up they may prove themselves " gentlemen " in the fullest sense of the word, Rowing fchftt Render reyevenoe and courtesy to women which is their due, and pray sink all these foolish jealousies and petty feelings. Try and make your schools, both high and primary, a success, and thus forward the interests of your own town.— l am, (fee, Common Sense. Cambridge, February 6th., 1884,

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