CADET TRAINING WILL HELP MAKE CITIZENS

Chronicle (Levin), 14 May 1947, Page 6

CADET TRAINING WILL HELP MAKE CITIZENS

Press Association

Bv Telearavh —

WELLINGTON, May 13. The setting up of a consultative committee on cadet training in post-primary schools, was recommended to the Government in a' motion passed at the annual conference of the New Zealanu Secondary Schools' Association. It was suggested that the committee shouid consist of representatives of the Army and Air Departments, Education Department, cadet .officers, men and women teachers Reportiri'g on the subject a sub-com-mittee-of the association stated: "We believe the system of .eajlet training which; affects over 10,000 boys for tliree years of their lives and which could be extended to every boy aud girl iii the counjtry,. merits deeper study tlian. we have time for. Accordingly'we incluae in our recommendations that the committee be given the oppor tuni ty for, tiirs exhaustive study. We cannot, but they could glean the best from publications of such countries as Great Britam, D.S.A. and Canada. Shorn of its ideology and of its methods of in'doctrination and automatic obedionee masquerading under the name of truth and discipline, the Hitler Youth has much to offer. " To gain information on the present organisation of cadet units in. '. postprimary .schools, the sub-committee seni a questionnaire to all principals of seeondary schools with units. Thirty-two schools replied to this. They represented units totalling 11,439 boys. It. Was found that in most schools tixp majority of cadets were engaged in basie int'antry training, drill and range work. The temainder were employed in Specialist groups such as artillery and signai corps. There was little or no cooperation in any of the time spent with training which ranged from 20 minutes of school time weekiy to 90 minutes. All except one of the schools had a barracks period of from three to five days. One school had an annual camp of nve days. The amount of assistance from Army instructors varied considcrably but there was general agreement that such assistance was neeefjsary and valu able. All schools agreed that cadet training was valuable to the physical development, bearing, p.osture, school and Sielfdiseipline. ... The report stated that cadet units should.be concerned with more than purely military skills. They shouid aim at the building- of citizens. Cadet training was a perio'd- of pre-militarj-rather than military instruction. The task was not to make machine gnnnexs and artillery men but to make citizens who, as part of their citizenship, could be efficiently trained for all posts that the Army might need in the most indefinite future. The report made recommendations on the establishment of cadet camps, military drill, musketry arid .specialisou training, the physical welf'are of cadets and Army aid to any sclieme.