Loyalty in Schools

Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1922, Page 1

Loyalty in Schools

AVETTZEL AND PARK CASE

AUCKLAND. November 10. A lively scene was created at the Avondale Town Hall last evening by an allusion to loyalty in schools and his policy in connexion therewith on the part of the Hon. C. ,T. Parr, Minister of Education. His remarks drew a. good deal of loud-voiced opposition from a small section of the audience including a woman. Mr Parr said he D-lieved in inculcating into children r love of their country and , the 1 injureand loyalty to it. (Applause). We had a great and wonderful Empire, which might have made a few mistakes hut which always stood for truth, right, liberty, and justice. We 'hoijd do well to stick up for our Empire and not sneer at it, as some people did to-day. I We are ttying to t.each the children to love and be loyal ‘o fheir country,” said Mr Pan-, “and I have asked the teachers to have them sing the Nation 7 al Anthem and salute the Union jack once a week. Yet you are told all this rubbish about machine-made loyalty. Is it going to,hurt your children to sing the National Anthem?” (Voices: No). Air Parr: Is it going to hurt them to salute the Union Jack once a week? (Voices: No). Mr Parr: No. Of course not. While I am Minister for Education I am going to see that the children of New Zealand are brought up to love and respect the Empire. The weekly ceremony I have referred to is earned out daily in Victoria and other countries. Continuing, Mr Parr said he was equally anxious to see that the teaches in the schools were men and women who would teach the children alpug the right lines. He had been criticised liecnuse he was said to have been “rough” on two teachers in Wellington. He would tell them about Miss Wcitzel. A training college teacher was brought up in the Police Court on a charge of sedition nkid disloyalty. The evidence was to the effect that she had been acting as the literature agent for the Communists Club. The Communists were “out and outers.” They believed in mass revolution. These Communists in Wellington then had this lady selling the Communist newspaper In it was the “hottest stuff” he had ever read.

A woman: She asked the permission of the Minister foi Internal Affairs and got no reply. Mr Parr: This paper advocated revolution and bloodshed and the murder of everyone who opposed the proletariat.

Tlie woman: Absolute lies. . Air Parr i Alias Wcitzel was fined .£lO by the magistrate for sedition and the Board of Education , dismissed her. A voire: Mr ALuson did not tell us that. The woman: Because he told us the truth and you are telling lies.

Af.r Parr: Would anyone here care to have their children taught by a teacher who was disloyal, a member of a Communist Club, who sold a paper advocating murder? (Cries of “No,” and applause, mingled with excited ejaculations by the woman interjector). Of course some people in the hall were up against the Empire—onlj- about a dozen of them—hut he left it to the rest of the audience whether he was right or not in the case of Aliss Wcitzel. (Applause and cries of “What about Miss Park?”) Air Parr said that Afiss Park was a teacher who wrote to a paper and sympathised with Afiss AYeitzel.

Tile woman: She was entitled to. Are you the Kaiser with your Prossinnism? (Uproar).

Mr Parr went in to say that Miss Park was teaching in a school at the time, and the school committee complained. They said they did not want their children taught by anyone of un-British tendencies. The Education Board made an enquiry, and refused to remove her. The judge held that a regulation 50 years old was invalid. The Education Board had eventually removed Miss Park to another school, she having given in writing a promise to obey her headmaster. Mr Parr said he was not vindictive, and did not desire to go further in the matter. Miss Park having given assurance of her loyalty and good faith. (Applause). Mr Parr then passed on to other topics.