Dear Sir, I would like to take this opportunity to defend Purvis Primary School in light of Mrs. Manderson's recent comments to The Royal Gazette .

Respectfully, I say that everyone is entitled to their opinions, including Mrs. Manderson and we all have the privilege of exercising our right to freedom of speech, specifically through the media.

I am a parent of a student at Purvis Primary School. Until last year, my son had been educated in the United States. Having gone through the private and public school system here in Bermuda, my preference for my son was the public school arena.

I visited several schools within close proximity to my place of residence. I wanted to find the right `fit' for my son. It was then suggested for me to have a look at Purvis. I could not have been more impressed with the educational standards, the disciplinary methods, the exceptional library facility, the overall cleanliness of the school and the Principal, Mrs. Carol Stoneham's hands-on-approach to each classroom. She took the time and effort along with his teacher, Mrs. Leola Wade who is absolutely phenomenal to assist my son through his transition upon his admittance to Purvis.

In closing, I would just like to state that through Purvis, the teachers and the leadership of Mrs. Stoneham, my son's performance both academically and socially has been far greater in the last year at Purvis than all of his past years in the educational system in the United States. Finally, I would like to add that Purvis School is one of Bermuda's best kept secrets.

TRINA BURCH-JACKSON Southampton In defence of Purvis March 29, 2000 Dear Sir, I am concerned about statements made in The Royal Gazette by Mrs. Lindsay Manderson, describing the Purvis School as unpopular and then going on to say, "We would move house. Purvis is so bad, we weren't impressed when we looked around...'' Mr. Editor, I am incensed by those statements.

I have had a close affiliation with Purvis School; my three children spent all of their primary years there. I know the principal and several of the current teachers, they are dedicated, hard-working and they do not think twice about going beyond the call of duty. There are doctors, dentists, teachers, and other professionals and tradesmen all making contributions to this community, all former students of Purvis School.

If Mrs. Manderson had called the principal to tour the school or even checked into its historical background, she would have discovered that Purvis is as good as all of the other schools here on the Island, private or public. Walls, a school does not make...It is the combined efforts of parents, teachers and the application of the child.

ODA A. MALLORY (MS) Warwick