VICAR'S LETTER.

My dear people,

This month I have to write to you about what is a very important matter. It is the change being brought about in our local day school.

Of late years the matter of Elementary Education has been much before this Country. The experts now claim that it is necessary to remove senior children to Central Schools to give them the best training.

Such a school is being built at Rainham and will be opened in October. The Managers here went to a Conference at Maidstone to thoroughly go into the matter with the County Officials, and as a result, have passed a Resolution limiting the Hartlip School to Infants and Junior children. Children over eleven will be conveyed to Rainham daily. It means our numbers will drop from eighty to forty-five. We shall lose the services of one of the assistant mistresses and our school will be of less influence educationally in our Village. Many who love the School will be extremely sorry to see the decline in usefulness, but we have to go with the times and Hartlip children must be given the same privileges as other children elsewhere.

A canteen will be run at Rainham where the children can get a hot two-course dinner for about 4d. per day. If a new School is later on erected at Newington then our children will be removed there.

There is much to be said on both sides concerning this change, but the experts assure us that the education given will be so much superior under the new plan that the Management could not but acquiesce. Naturally, I myself, shall miss the privilege of having these children for religious instruction in the way I now have. Our school was endowed primarily as a religious foundation, and my chief regret is that the definite church teaching for which Hartlip school was built will change into spineless inter-denominationalism. I know from long experience in New Zealand the difference there is in Confirmation Candidates who come from Church Schools and those who have not had this great privilege. This is a materialistic age when it is very easy to put "First things" aside. Education should mean more than clever animals. A weakening of the link of a child with its Church I regard as a serious matter.

Yours sincerely,

CECIL G. MUTTER.

THE PARISH HALL FETE.

This has been so well advertised that nothing remains to be printed. We hope for a fine day and we are pleased Sir Mark Collett, who is keenly interested in village life and progress, is coming to formally open the Recreation ground and declare the Fete has started.

The Fancy dress parade is for adults and children alike. Prizes are to be given in each class. Get your friends to came and success will be assured. Saturday afternoon, August 6th, 2.30 p.m

MARRIAGE.

July 23rd. Horace Walter Tumber to Ruth Grace Eileen Smart.

The Editor is asked to make the following intimation. The Conservative Women's Association will be entertained at a Garden Party by the kind invitation of Mrs. Faussett Osborne, at Queendown Warren, on Friday, August 26th, at 3 p.m.

A Jumble Sale will be held probably at the end of the month when the proceeds are to go to the Parish Hall fund.

SUNDAY SCHOOL.

In addition to the names mentioned last month, the following scholars have brought in collection boxes for the Archbishop's Fund:- Marjorie Walker; L. and R. Dixon; B. and R. Twort; W. Bailey; K. and G. Read; Victor Hollands; Margery Leonard, and J., H., and R. Goodhew. We thank these children for their help.

CHURCHYARD.

The Committee met at the Vicarage on July 20th to count up the money collected this year for the upkeep of our Churchyard. The house to house collection in Hartlip amounted to £8/18/2. From various friends living outside the District, subscriptions came in amounting to £7/18/05, making a total received by Mr. W. H. Luck, the Treasurer, of £16/16/2.

The Committee wish to thank all those who have contributed to the funds, and thanks go out, too, to the ladies and gentlemen who kindly undertook the collecting.