SCHOOL MORAL TRAINING

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2269, 28 April 1921, Page 2

SCHOOL MORAL TRAINING

WHAT IS TAUGHT LOCALLY.' hi his report to the householders at Monday night’s meeting, the head teacher, Mr Fume, says: — “In tlie sphere of moral training, the school attempts to inculcate a healthy idea of patriotism and citizenship. This we place on the highest plane; we look upon it as the chief trust placed in.our hands. At a recent function in Napier, the Hon. the Minister for Education, Mr Parr, stated that he thought it would be a good idea if:' every school had the Union Jack flying, and the children every day saluted the flag and sang the ‘National Anthem.’ The ‘Dominion,’ in a sub-leader, suggests that the Minister should take steps to have the ceremony introduced into the schools throughout the Dominion. This custom lias Goon observed in the Foxton School for the last three years, and our ceremonials inculcating respect for constitution and love of country go past that. We have, at present, no flag pole, but the Union Jack hangs in the place of honour beside our motto, and opposite the school colours, right at the entrance, with the flags of our recent Allies arranged along the corridor. Unfortunately, wc are being assailed by the preaching of a pernicious doctrine of disruption and non-regard for constitution and order. The men responsible for this are no doubt sincere, but underlying if all there is a lack of regard for the nation as a whole, for the welfare of the great body of people. There is not that observance of the rule enunciated by the Prince of Wales in his message to the children of New Zealand: AVhen pursuing your own interests, consider those of other people.’ Such doctrines in their operation, although aiming at the advancement of a

small section, seem to result in geneni! discomfit <1 ml suffering:. This attitude of mind has been in evidence amongst many classes during the war, and post-war periods. It is in our schools that we should lay the foundation of the realisation of what our school motto stands for — the '‘Each for AH’ attitude. What i< wanted in the fabric of our society in the present day is the feeling that one has in playing for a side — each doipg his best for the whole side, and that side his country. The .extension of this team spirit' from the schools to the -towns, to the country, to the nation, would soon make it unnecessary, for the existence of organisations which a present exist for sectional propaganda.”