The Dominion. SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 1917. "SAFETY FIRST"

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3042, 31 March 1917, Page 10

The Dominion. SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 1917. "SAFETY FIRST"

An interesting phase of the pioblem of education leform in its relation to business was touched on in an address recently delivered in London by Me \V L Hitchens, chairman of Messrs CUmmell, L«ed AND Co The subject dealt with was "Education and Business," and it was handled in a iemarkably able, direct, and illuminating manner. Ma Hitchens, who was formeily a schoolmaster, is how at the head of a great engineering firm. He is theicfoie in the strong position of being able to speak with authority both as an educationist and as a captain of industry. He has endeavoured' to find out why 'comparatively few English 'lads adopt engineering as a.career in life, and he haslcome to the conclusion that the matin reason is that this occupation does not give the same degree of certainty as some other trades or professions which offor. a safe, though modest, | competency, and during recent ycais ' bojs have been taught to go m tor! the safe thing This desne to takci things easy is not a healthy 6ign. I Mr Hitohens carncs conviction | when ho states that there is nothing ] that saps the moial fibre of any boy j more effectually than that ho should ! embark on the journey of life with | the motto, "Safety fust," hung| round his neck Timidity of this, kind must be a source of weakness! to any nation The future of the j British Empire laigely depends upun the willingness of its young men to do and dare, to take risks! in industry and commerce as well as in sport and war. There is plenty of room for the spirit of adventure in industrial life. Tho determination to excel, to get out of the ruck, and to use to the top—these aio qualities which ought to bo fostered by an efficient national education system Our young people ought to bo taught to aim high and to ,put their whole heart, into their work. They must be taught how to make

their lives worth living, and not merely'how to discover the easiest mode of existence. Never in the history of our Empire has there been such a magnificent opportunity for the effective use of brain and muscle as, at the present,, time. The scope for industrial enterprise and adventure when the war is over will be almost unlimited. ' The dull and worthless spirit which finds-ex-pression in the "go slow" policy and. regards "safety, first". '•'. as the chief consideration in choosing a career in life will not do much to ensure the moral or material greatness of the British Empire in the new age into which it is now moving;' •■■ - •

_ Mis, Hitchens. is a. strong beiever in technical instruction and n continuation classes. He considers that. it is the duty of every irm to'see that its apprentices are xroperly trained. But he has no ympathy with the tendency to iniroduce • specialised education into ihe early stages, of, school life. He lolds that there is ample time after i. boy has started on a business jareer for acquiring all the techlical knowledge that his brain is sapable of assimilating.' Until the >r,oad foundations of ■■ general eduction have been firmly laid, specialsation is worse than useless. Mr. Sitchens states that the tendency >f modern education is often in the vrong too little attention ieing given 'to the ■ foundations tfhich lay buried,out of sight, and »o much to ■a ■' showy suporstruciure. . Thero ia still a good deal ol lisagreement among experts as rejards- the foundations of primary iducatiori. Mil. Hitchens, however, las very pronounced views on this joint. He '< declares that, when he ;oqk a boy into'his firm he wanted; is a business man, to be assured thai ;he boy had stability .and moral strength of character. The true 'unction.of education was to teacl ihildren how to learn and how tc ive—not how.to make a living ynich; was a; very, different thing [t is significant to'-'find the head oi i. great;business organisation draw ng attention>to the:unnatural waj n which a'boy's, religious life ii loparated from his ordinary" life ;ho' two lives- being kept apart, ai t were, in '• watertight l compart nents. ' -Many educationists admi Jiat'this severance is most regret able from the ; character-builclinj joint of view, but they do not-a' present see how a just and work ible union can be established. It i •efreshing to know that this level leaded commercial man does not.be ievo that this commercialisation o; iducation is the one thing needful le does not like the, idea of convert ng the nation' into a "money-mak hgmob," by making education ( paying proposition subservient t< ;he god of wealth.; If our cducatior lystem is to be thorough, scientific md eiScient, it must provide fo; ;he training of: all a child's facul ;ies. It must teach him. how to-live is well as supply him with suificien mowledge to enable him' to earn i living. 'Education systems are at presen Ming subjected to' much adverse ir.iticism; drastic reforms are bein; lemanded;.new methods' are bein; proposed; new "ideals are being ad rocated. > There is much differeno )f opinion among experts as regard; cuture developments; but'the possi ailifjies of reform were nevei rreator and the outlpokis decidedl; ippeful. After. prolonged, discus sion, a consensus of opinion has nov seen reached _.upon a number "p 'undamental points. ,The Presiden )f the Incorporated Association o Eeadmasters > (the Bev. J. K Wynne-Edwards) says that all ari igreed-.that' education -must gi ! urtherthan it has done in the past [t must reach the 15th or 16th yea: tor all,'and after that' boys wh< eave school'must •toave their hour; n factories '• so that the; nay have time to continue their/ edu :ation.. The. secondary, schools mus ie. open to all who.can profit -b; ;hem. There is a widespread im pression in England that educatioi ls about to .receive a strong pusl forward. We are told that 1917 i joing.to;'be a momentous year, ii ;he history of English education The war has opened'the eyes of th jovernment and 'the. people, to th< lrgent necessity of making" th< national school system as emcien is possible in all departments. .'Ai mrivalled chance, oi getting some ;hing actually done is now. present ing. itself, and the ability and'en ;husiasm: of Mr. H. A. L,, Fisher ;he new President^of the Board o Education, have .raised, high expec iations. . Mb..* Wynne-Edwards i lopeful that "Mr.: Fisher,-will sue :eed in bringing:a' reasoned; schemi )f; national-J education into being [•t'is vain to look-f dr. ■ a.^sudden.edu atjonal millennium, but ib ought ho ;6' ; be irrational to expect that "; jegihning would • Be- made w.hicl rould provide 'saner .• minds in ; ianer body corporate." Mr. Eishei will earn the lasting gratitude o: ill well-wishers,of the, Em pire if' he'succeeds-in making re forms which will-ensure .the amploi realisation. of, the': aim.of primary sducation set forth in the Englisi Board <of Education .Code of 1912— "to enable, children not merely t< reach their full, development as. in dividuals, but- also to become up right and useful. members of thi community, in which they live, am worthy sons, and daughters of tbi country to which they belong." I well-known' educationist reminds ui that however' important scienco maj be, a nation's salvation is not to bi found in. aniline <lyes, but in tin character of its people.