TFIE AUTHORITIES' POINT OF VIEW

From Our Educational Correspondent Officials, both national and local, are reticent on the question of what to do about the care and education of the large numbers of schoolchildren in the evacuation areas.
Official opinion may be summed up as follows : (a) The decision to close the echools in the evacuation areas is a matter of Government policy and was not a departmental decision; (b) Parents were informed that the schools would be closed and were encouraged to send the children away under the evacuation scheme;
Cc) The present position, of children " running wild" because the schools are closed, is the result of the failure by parents to take advantage of the evacuation scheme and is not a matter of blame for department or Government;
(d) The fact that there are these large numbers of children "running wild" is no reason for reopening schools in dangerous areas, as the risks of raids still exist.
Moral v. Physical Dangers Against this, various critics have said that, in their opinion, the moral ri,sks to the children are greater than the possible physical dangers of being at school.
They argue further that the parents, by keeping their children at home in evacuation areas have, in effect, absolved the authorities from any blame or responsibility if the compulsory 'school attendance provisions are applied and a school or schools should be bombed. Those critics state that there can be little administrative difference between the danger of the children in school or in the streets.
So serious is the problem in London, where it is estimated that 100,000 children have not been evacuated or have returned from the reception stream, that a special committee has been appointed by the L.C.C. to inquire into it.
Among the questions to be considered is the provision of education and social care for the children still in London; but, in addition, it will consider the question of interesting occupations for young persons who are over the age for evacuation.
The difficulty faced by the Council is to avoid any action which will attract more evacuated children back from the country.
It is expected that the system of instruction of small groups of children in the homes will be extended.
Convent Praises Council
In neutral areas the children are being kept from school until adequate shelter has been provided. This also is a matter of Government policy. In Hendon area good progress has been made, and it is expected that the schools will reopen before the end of the year. The reverend headmistress of the Catholic Central School in this area gave it as her opinion that the children will be all the better for this extended holiday. In her opinion the Hendon Education Department has shown itself to be ener
getic and praiseworthy in providing so rapidly protection works which cost 160,000, " equal to ten new schools."