SOME CONTRASTS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 January 1925, Page 4

SOME CONTRASTS

NEW ZEALAND AND CANADA. lady TEACHER’S IMPRESSIONS. AUCKLAND, January 5. An Auckland Indy school teacher, who i.s at. present teaching for twelve months at Toronto under the exchange plan, comments interestingly on various phases of life in the great Dominion in a letter to relatives. Speaking of the work on which she is engaged she writes: “The children here seem almost foreigners. quite different from our children in New Zealand, much more babyish and yet very friendly. All the schools have home and school clubs, consisting of parents, and they do a lot for tlie schools generally. Teachers meet the mothers and the work goes on much more harmoniously. About a fortnight ago our club gave the stall a banquet ami a real one it was. They work lull'd and get extras for the children. libraries for instance. Nearly every school has an auditorium where children have concerts, lantern-slide lectures, and listen to speakers. Ihe people are very kind to us all, but the men are the last thing in dl-maiincis. Our New Zealand men are really kingly alougsic le them. (Oh, My!) I imagined they were worse than they were until 1 went to Detroit in the United states, ami there the men are the perfection of good manners. I was very favourably impressed with them, both men and women. However one of our Canadian boys said it was a wicked eiiv. so what is one to do when in a wicked city the men are the perfection of good manners, and in the City of Churches, the name for Toronto. they are the acme of bad manners? r think T remember reading somewhere Hut “the devil was a polished gentleman."

■‘WTum I am introduced as coming from New Zealand a blank look comes into their eyes. T know they are wondering where on earth that is. And they immediately say, Glow do you like Canada? They never ask about New Zealand at nil. They are frightfully narrow and jealous of their country. Beware of even mentioning that there might lie other interesting places on the map. They are simply not interested in other places. None of the teachers at the school have been more than a few miles from Toronto. Here are some real questions T have been asked: (]) “ ‘Have you a bridge between Australia and Now Zealand! (2) “ ‘Do you teaeli English in your schools, or have you a New Zealand language ?’ (If) “ ‘Are you really civilised in New Zealand ?'

Cl Y “How funny that you don’t speak with an accent, f suppose the people are mostly English?’ "The greatest shock came when 1 was told to got a special letter from the Hoard of Education when I wanted to go to Detroit, in the United Slates. You see the trouble is your English accent - not that you can help that - and Americans are so particular.’ I nearly died, but kept my face straight. ]<T,ies and liens are unknown insects, ami hygiene is the law of health. In all public lavatories and even in schools the towels are paper and are deslroved on being used. The cups on trains are paper, like our cream cups, and fall out of the cistern when a handle is turned. lee cream is served in cups, but inside the glass or silver cup is a paper one. and llial is destroyed at once. The children have beautiful teeth, and at our school wo have a dentist and his assistant three days a week, They al- > have their own rooms. One of the manual training classes I saw not only had a room whore they wove cooking, but. a kitchenette, I edrnmn. bathroom and- dining room, all beautifully lifted up. and the children are also (rained in house-keeping and cleaning as well as cooking. As tar as school buildings and eqiiii'.iliciit nl" emu ci is 'I N'-v. Zealand is woefully Iwhiiiil the limes, hut then teachers and children arc more advanced ill education itself than are the Canadians, whose methods are almost antiquated."