FUTURE CITIZENS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 73, 18 December 1937, Page 6

FUTURE CITIZENS

Napier Headmaster Favours Definite Training BUILDING CHARACTER Training for citizenship and its necessary inclusion in modern education is the subject of an interesting section of the annual report of Mr. W. T. Eoster, principal of the Napier Boys5 High School. He writes : "I am more firmly convinced than ever that we must give definite training in citizenship and all that it involves. The citadel of demo-crac-y is so sorely beseiged that .most leaders- of political and educational thought are calling urgently for recruits to the ranks of defenders. "We, at this distance from the centre of things,- are a-pt to iive in a iocl's paraaise, neglecting the omiiious signs on tne far horizon. But wo are just as vulnerable as those in the centre of the storm, and shall 110 less feel its fury, unless w© take urgent steps to protect our heritage. The indirect and casual luethods of character building and civic training Ihitherto employed are quite insufficient. "We must teach citizenship forcibly aud directly. we must inculcate a real and lasting pride jn our instifcutions ; we must iustil into our youth the responsibilities that rest upon them; we must put vividly before them a worthy goal tliat will fill them with an enthu- j siasm equal to that of the Eascist, and , make them realise that they have duties as well as privilegeSj that work i is not drudgery but a source of pride and pleasure, and tliat real happiness consists not in the abundance of things that a man possesses, but in.the conseiousness tliat he has done his best to iive "the good life,'5 to help and not to hinder the march of progress, and 'by little nameless unremembered acts of kindness and of love5 to bring man a little nearer the goal of universal brotherhood.5' Mr. Foster deals with the fairly drasT tic revision of subjects involved in the practical applieation of the teaching of good citizenship, and continues : "Dr. Norwood, ex-headmaster of Harrow, goes so far as to suggesfc that, even in purely academic schools, foreign languages should be omitted alto: gether. The field of liuinan knowledge is now so wide and so rapidly oxtending that we must make a fresli stirvey and determine tho area that it is possible to cultivate in a few brief years • of post primary education. lta-ther must we develop an attitude of mind a spirit of iuquiry and desire for know ledge, than aim at driving home a definite amount of fact or theory. "Again, this training must include an attempt by means of school clubs and other corporate activities to give boys other than prefects some experience in management of affairs and leadership of- their fellows. "Whatever the departmental regulations may be, something Qf this kind will have to be tlone if New Zealand schools are to keep abreast of the times, and to avoid the melanclioly fate of German and Italian schools, where individuality is stifled and only the official brand is tolerated in all branches of thought. social, religious or political, and wliere even art, the acme of self-expression, is subjected to the regimentation of dictators, "There is one inevitable conclusion to be drawn from all that I liave just said : the teaching profession should consist of men and women of ihe highest possible character and ideals. Briefly stated, the position is this : the root

of all the evils of our civilisation is human selfishness and greed. These must be eradicated. The only professions that can make any claim to attempt such eradication are the Church and the School. , The Church is unfortunately limited in its scope. The School is universal because education is compulsory. The main hope of salvation, therefore, lies in the schools. Hence the need for men and women of . the highest character and- ideals.55