11 FEBRUARY 1944, Page 14

A PARENT'S EXPERIMENT

Sut,—Our two little girls aged seven and five are at present at a private school in the neighbourhood. Since we feel that they should learn to mix with all people and get a larger view of life, my husband and I contemplate sending them to the local elementary school. This decision, not being caused by economic necessity, has provoked a good deal of discussion and criticism amongst our family and friends. Much of this is easy to meet. Accent, bad habits, epidemics. They may develop an ugly accent, but they will soon lose it again (especially being girls). Bad habits are not any more or any less prevalent in elementary than in private schools. Epidenlics are less likely where children have regular medical and dental inspection.

Other points are less easy to meet. One is that the children will feel they don't belong anywhere. Cut off from most of their school-fellows by a different home-life and from their neighouring friends by a different school-life.

I feel that the weakest point in our case is that we are experimenting with our children, and we do not know what psychological effect it will