CADET OFFICERS AND EMPIRE DAY

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 207, 26 May 1908, Page 8

CADET OFFICERS AND EMPIRE DAY

; , CASE OF. THE TEACHERS. (BY TELEGRAPH.—STECU.Ii; CORRESPONDENT.) ■ Dunedln, -May 25. The cadet . officers V explained to a " Star " reporter'their position Empita, Day.. "The'teachers," said the stfokefcman,' " are as loyal 'as any other'body of workers in tlio. community; - Every'-day in Ho school', year they : are. instilling'jiatriotism into the/ Blinds of the children. We ape carrying'out' the procedure ,\ as 'embodied in- the circular from the Education.! Department' in .it's ' en,tirety. The <yrcular : "in -question: kt'ates ' The Govprnmont Suggest that at'eve^y' l school the children M ass'embled\on the morning 'of' Empiro'Day,- and. that they should salute the flag, this ceremony to be followed ly l a short address to the children- reminding -them of the privileges and duties of the citizens of the Empire, the remainder <sf.the".day to bo observed: as'a holiday.': ; ' You will .'see' we are carrying out this circular'in''its entirety. The Board apparently- does' : not understand the position of cadet officers.-. The officers hold no/ commission, and somei of'them have -had 'to' pay. for their: own . uniforms. Again, tho , cadet: officers have ) not 1 , or. flouted any of . the orders of the Board. ( We. have always loyally .supported any Last year, for instance, on a'special-occasion; we turned out for the unveiling of the Queen's Statue Eallen i 'Soldiers' ;Memorial, and also on Dominion ,Diiy. - We iwant our position" defined. . We: svant to know where the 'authority ,to ask. .turn ;out cornea from. Empire Day haS been established by the Board as a school holiday, but,, it can hardly be,regarded as a holiday'if the cadet officers are to take part' in ..a*,function,in, the morning, and then to be callcd out'again in the afternoon.! tire .whole,of the day would thereforo bo occupied ioy us:. It is. also very wearisome: for thoi children, who are - placed at a disadvantage in, 'having stand about for some time very often'in wefc - ; weather to listen to spoeches f tbat ; ar« very ' often' not. heard, and that are really riot understood when' heard by such immaturo age." ; ' .. . :, ' '. i . v, "' ; '