SCHOOL TILL 16

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 170, 21 July 1942, Page 4

SCHOOL TILL 16

AMERICA'S YOUTH

AUSTRALIA'S ADMIRATION

We have all come to look upon the American sailor, soldier and airman as more than a fighting man. We have learned to respect not only the strength of his arm and his fine discipline, but his courtesy, his interest in life, alert intelligence, industriousness, and good appearance, wrote Sir Keith Murdoch in the Melbourne Herald on Independence Day. We have admired this moral and civil side of our visitors discreetly, but in a very genuine way. The men nave, in fact, surprised many of our stay-at-homes. The quality of their clothes, the fine physique, the handscme appearance and kindly manner have all been more than was expected. But all this is merely typical of the great country which gave these men birth and stature.

Great improvements have been made in Russia, planned economies have built new cities in Germany and Britain in ten years was becoming well housed, well schooled well hospitaled.

But none of these civilisations compare, in material or educational pi ogress, with the vast communal activities of America, which, though organised on the basis of free individual living, erected the greatest mass prosperity and well-being the world has seen. 6

The educational system is typical Is it realised that practically all the population in U.S.A. is at school at IZJ™? In Australia practically the whole population is out of school at lo years. Ui In one American camp in Aus. tralia 70 per cent of the men had been at school until l6i; all had wanted to stay longer. In six States of Amenca the school leaving age is 18, in 11 others it is 17; In nearlv all the rest it is 16. nearly all

One per cent of the American people go on to the many universities and high schools. Here in M, tra^UV may be °1 e in a thousand Shame on us, who take nearlv ail our children scurrying from schoo when they pass VfrtoirtSg!

of T the 0 e y ffect S ' m ° re schoolin g-' Think