EDUCATION AT SEA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 89, 3 February 1947, Page 6

EDUCATION AT SEA

ORGANISATION OF CLASSES PREPARATIONS FOR EXAMINATIONS The education of l’atings at sea received a lot of time and attention in the Royal Navy. Few people are aware of the varied subjects and comprehensive courses which the men may study in order to gain promotion. All large ships in the Royal Navy carry a schoolmaster who is responsible for the education of ratings, and before they can attain promotion it is necessary for the men to pass education tests. Consequently classes are organised to prepare them for these examinations. This work has been carried on during the war years although some of the educational qualifications for promotion were temporarily waived. Now, however, they are back in force again. “Subjects which are concentrated on in these classes are mainly of a technical nature,” the schoolmaster of H.M.S. Black Prince told a Wellington reporter. “Most of them are of a high standard. For instance, the Higher Education Test is a fairly stiff examination and in many ways is up to matriculation standards. It comprises such subjects as history, geography, general knowledge, mathematics, mechanics, navigation, electricity and magnetism.” Attendance is voluntary and classes are held in the dog-watch—-that is between 4.30 and 6 p.m. Tuition is practically individual. The ratings all work on their, own particular subjects in their own time and the schoolmaster is available to give any necessary help or advice throughout- the day. Training For Civvy Street

“During, the war great importance has been attached to educational and vocational training,” this officer said. “Large proportions of men in the services are ‘hostilities only’ men and they are given special training under this scheme to fit them for their civil positions when they leave the Service. As part of this scheme classes have been held with suitable instructors drawn from either the officers or the ratings.

“There are classes in French, German, shorthand, bookkeeping, motor mechanics, typing, commercial art, carpentry, leatherwork, fitting and tuz’ning of plastics, household electrical repairs, and radio repairs on the Black Prince.

“In addition, current affairs discussion groups have been run during working hours with group leaders drawn from'officers and ratings. A notable subject discussed was: ‘How can we improve post-war living conditions in the Royal Navy? In this case the commanding officer, Captain G. V. Gladstone, R.N., asked for a resume of the discussion of each group and collected the best of them.”

The Black Prince also possesses an information room which is equipped with maps, magazines, periodicals, and information noticeboards. There is also a ship’s library which is very widely used and an educational reference library on board. Any boys on the ships are compelled to attend school classes during working hours until they have passed a certain educational test, when further study becomes purely voluntary. Correspondence classes were also run during the war for the British Pacific Fleet from the main Australian universities and from the War Office in London. Private correspondence courses were often taken up by ratings at very reduced fees. All this work was done in the men’s spare time.