FIRE PREVENTION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5401, 18 March 1929, Page 3

FIRE PREVENTION.

r — V INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS.

ENDORSED BY FIRE BRIGADES'. The "Hokitika Guardian,” in reporting the. United Fire Brigades’ Association’s Jubilee Conference held in that town, published an account of the association’s attitude towardls fire; prevention instruction ip schools, as a result of. the reading of a paper written by Secretary C. W. Malcolm, of Paeroa, an extract 'of which is given here: — “There is IPO fireman present at fk this Conference; to-day whpl does not know that New Zealand’s, fire loss head of population is the heaviest, in the world; there is no fireman who does not know thajt, with the years,' that enormous figure of. wastage is growing. Evejry fireman knciws that for years Inspector 'Hugo andl our own association have been hammering at an appallingly apathetic public, but iu vain, to awaken them to. the fact that through sheer, carelessness they are sendling millions into the ajr in smoke —millions, that arq needed in these days of financial stringency. We kno,w' that Great Britain, with less +i thad one-quarter of. our fire loss per. capita, has been crying out, “Can a nation afford this continual drag on its resources ?” and we are well aware that, other countries, whose fine, losses are well behind ours, cpnduct what A they call a fire week, during which the whole nation is awakened) to the fact that cafe and thoughtfulness in hcgand to fire prevention have a real value in the saving of .millions of pounds. Many of the schoolchildren in Canada, in the United States, and in Britain receive instruction in some form or, other ip tihe matter of fire prevention.. And what of New Zealand ?” Secretary Malcolm goes pin to say how something in the persistent urgency of the appeals made by Inspector Hugo and other promineht men in the fire, service caused: hijn to set about the collection of, matter relative to the ca.uses of fires and the /" compilation of the lessons in fire pre-. volition. “This matter,” continues the paper, “I set out in five lessons, which were read to you at the last conference, held in New Plymouth. No one can n plape. sufficient value upon the work ' of Captain (Secretary) T. J. Watts ana his executive in regard to those lessons. You all know how little time; was lost in the interviewing of the highest education authorities by the executive, and of the national importance of. the promise thqy secured that the lejssons would be printed in the new syllabus, at the time under consideration. Gentlemen, here was an opportunity the 'like of which had never occurred in the history of, a, tion! The whole of ciuj; education »■ system in so far as the currj'. ulum is concerned was under a complete change, and an entirely new syllabus of work was under way. Every teacher f in the Dominion was to be supplied with that syllabus, containing the whole of the curriculum to be taught in the State; schools. And the authorities, according to world-wide press reports, had) promised the United Fire Brigades of New Zealand that lessons on fire prevention would be included in the new syllabus. It would have bqen a national triumph on a. sound, common-sense economic foundation. The paper further comments on the fact that the lessons appeared, not in the syllabus, but in the Education Gazette of August 1, 1928, there being nothing to require; teachers to pay any attention to the matter therein, and stating.: “With the present public apathy, there is every probability that hundreds; would pass the lessons by on seeing the heading. “The new syllabus has ficjen issued); the great opportunity has been losjt ;• once.more the voi-e of, the Fire Service of the Dominion has been wasted on deaf tjars,” comments the paper. The last portion of the paper acquaints every fireman with the attitude of. the children towards the less T sons, and the mannelr, in which the lessons, fit into the work of the school. They are recommended! to be taken in the period in which health and moral ins.tructiota is given, these subjects often becoming exhausted of topics before the end of the year, and thus offering a blank into which the fire prevention lessons Would fit, in ,no way interfering with any part of the time-, table. The lessens required) absolute-

ly no preparation on the part of 1 the teacher, "who simply Stands before) his class with the lessons in his hand dr. on his stool and takes each article as it comes. Take lessen 3 :(a) : ‘lt is cheaper to clean the flue than to build a new- home—see that- ehimmps are always well swept. Should your chimney catch fire, do not let it bum itself out, because it may involve the whole structure. Throw salt or sulphur upon the fire.’ Now, the; teacher reads - that, and if ther,a ere not two dozen hands up to have something to say * On. the matter it isn’t a normal class of. school children. And the thing is well impressed before passing on to L the nfpct point. And- every inch bf the lessons is the same." The next paragraps, after dealing with a variety of the interesting topics in the lessons, points out that the lessons were first taught to a Standard IV. class in 1926. And difl Acuity was experienced tn the selec- ■ tion of the pupil who had best answered the questions set at the end of the year, the award being a typed certificate. Answers, to difficult questions on spontaneous combustion, etc., were so well done that it was evident great attention had been paid, to the lessons by the; pupils, The. next year the lessons were again taught to the same children, and in the third yepr the same pupils again went through, the set, this, time, their own request, twice in the year, the last time the children having a good deal more tot say and discuss than a,t any previous timq. “And I maintain the obvious, gpntle- | men," concludes the secretary, “that ■ if the subject is, only dealt with like this year by year, when the children school they will never be able, nor Will they desire, to eradicate from their minds the fact that It is a part

of their citizenship tpi realise the great importance carefulness with fire plays, in the economic, outlook of thqir nation.” The Advisory superintendent said: “I would again urge the necessity fdr the holding of a ‘Fire Prevention Week,’ and of enlightening the public as to the importance of taking greater call® and using every effort to provide better me;aiis of. fire protection. It is greatly to be regretted that the promise of the Director, of Education to incorporate the approved system of fire lessons and drills for schools in the; new syllabus was not approved of. He had a golden opportunity of rendering a national service to tfie community as a whole. It must be obvious to all that the time to instil thoroughly the necessity of fire preven-, tion into thq minds of our successors is, in the school period', and the nature of the lessons will, appeal to the young mind. Individual schools have adopted them, and I am assured that tile scholars eagerly look forward to and. quickly assimilate the lessons. It behoves this association! to renew its efforts to ha.ve this most important matter rectified as ea’rjy as possible.” President Gilbert stated: that he had beepi presented with a handsome cup, which he suggested the tion accept as the prize for an essay by schools on fire prevention. Secretary Watts said the proposal was a very happy one, and he suggested that the offer be accepted', the executive to arrange the conditions. The offer was accepted with hearty thanks, and Vice-President Gilgert was deputed to convejy the thanks to the donor, whose name was not 'disclosed. i