EDUCATION BY TRAVEL

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1189, 26 July 1911, Page 8

EDUCATION BY TRAVEL

AUSTRALIAN BOYS' TOUR. COMING TO WELLINGTON SOON. Western Australia has seized on tho American idea of educating a proportion cf their youths by a system of travel tours, such as have been fostered in the United States for live or six years past. It is not an uncommon occurrence to meet, a number of young men or girls in England or America, who have been financed abroad by their State, assisted by public subscription, in order that their ideas may bo broadened and the perspective of places and things corrected for the benefit of themselves and (heir people at home. This idea took the form in western Australia of the formation of a lomig Australia League in 1908, the main idea being (o organise n party of boys and youths to make a comprehensive overseas tour with those objects:— (I) To educate a section of. Australian youths by travel. ' . '

'-'To place them in competition with tho rifle shots of other countries. (3) To advertise Australia in the mest popular fashion. ■ •

<4) To papularise Australian football iu other parls of. the world. Among Hie bodies communicated with were the League of Empire, London, and Iho Columbia Park Boys, San Francisco, ihe latter body was immediately interested in the scheme, and offered to supply three months accommodation for the Ijoys iu dillerent parts of the United States, freo ot charge. Somo months elapsed without any lurther movo on tho part of the league, and the American officials, apparently becoming impatient, stated that as the Australian body seemed to hesitato about going forward with the proposal, they proposed to fend some 40 boys to the Commonwealth, hence the visit of Major I'eixotto and his boys last year. . \ isitinjf Wellington at tho'present timo is Mr. Cecil Jeffrey, of the staff of the Western Australian Education Deparru*Mit, who has been given twelve months' leavo ol absence to enable him to act as advance representative of tho "Bovs of Australia, who to the number of 42 are to tour .the Commonwealth, aud are to visit Wellington and (he United Slates J lie Hoys arc timed to leave Perth on August 5, and after visiting Adelaide, Melbourne, ami Sydney come on from there to \\ ellington reaching here on August i n -n are i,°, glvo t,vo entertainments ut the lowii Hall on August 23 and "I and on August 25 they leave for s"m Iraiicisco, via Rarotonga and Tahiti. -Vt present their finances are so arranged that the Boys" will be able to travel as far as Uiicago (and return therefrom), but it the tour is crowned with success it may bo extended to Canada and England, i P,S r fS rmances in the Commonwealth and Wellington are being given under an arrangement with West's, Ltd., the bipicture proprietary, which is guaranteeing so much per performance up till the time the boys leave New Zealand. Mr.'Jeffrey states that the Western \usrnliau bovernment has subsidised the our to the extent of .£2OO, and many of tho parents and friends of the 1-oys aro contributing to the general fund. The boys aro bringing their own band, many ot them are talented entertainers and ulhLctcs, and they will, give exhibitions ot football, .cricket, bassball, lacro«e, swimming, rifle shooting, and Boy Scout work. Their ages range from ]'l to 1!) years, and a trained nurse is to travel with them in case of sickness. The "Bovs ot Australia will be under the manatre.inent of Lieutenant. Simons, and local arrangements will be in the hands of Major Rvau (of the local Y.M.C.A.) and .West s, Ltd.

Mr. Jeffrey leaves for San Francisco bv :ho Aorangi to-day.