THE CITIZEN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3029, 16 March 1917, Page 4

THE CITIZEN

AN EDUCATION PROBLEM.

Two addresses on the subject of con» iinuafcion classes were delivered heioro the Women's Social Investigation League last evening. Mr. H. A. Parkinson, in tho courso of his paper, said that education, for citizenship ,was tho object of tho education systom. Tho State took no interest. ill ohildren from.tho tunc they left the primary school till they wont to the ballot-bos to cast their vote in the election of the day. It was_ time the State took more interest in its young citizens. The child ped when entering upon most fateful years; More than had been dono in the past should be undertaken. Education for citizenship included characterbuilding and moral training- The degree of education needed for the citizen of a modern democratic State could not be given by the time the pupil readied the fourteenth year. It should be laid down that the community had a claim on the best services its citizens could give, and it should be regarded as a- right and duty to extend theeducation. The period of education would have to be extended. The primary teaching should be continued for another year at least, and the local government bodies should be asked to co-operate. The local government, bodies should see to continuation classes, and attendance at these should be compulsory. For any efforts in this direction the State would be handsomely repaid. , Miss N. Goad was brief on the subject. She said that re a. country of this kind the children were those who would havo the political power of the State in their hands at some future time. Yet we were allowing those future voters to leavo school at the age of fourteen years. Miss Goad appealed to women to interest themselves in education matters.