INCULCATING PRACTICAL CIVICS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2765, 31 July 1924, Page 2

INCULCATING PRACTICAL CIVICS.

AT THE LOCAL STATE SCHOOL.

In his report to the .school committee at its meeting on Monday night, the acting headmaster, Mr Davidson, stated, inter alia: “It is necessary that the rising generation should have, while at school the environment that makes for intelligent, levelbalanced citizens. With the view of inculcating in the children of (his school a knowledge of practical civics, and to bring school life more in harmony with the every day life of flic community, while simultaneously lessening the necessity for punishment by the teacher for misconduct, a code of laws has been drawn up to improve the discipline of the school. “Thus every child in the school ‘ more than the teacher, becomes responsible for the discipline of the school, when lie is made to realise that his part, no matter how insig-nificant-it may apparently be, is an important one. “Tn every class, from Standard 4 upwards, two representatives for (he school Council were elected by ballot by ihe pupils so that all offenders against school discipline are punished, not by the teacher, but by the scholars themselves. The juvenile school Council has undertaken to be responsible for the safety of school property, the tidiness of the grounds, punctuality of the sehodfrs, fair play in the playground. and protection fur the weak against tlte aggressive strong. As organised society through the different courts punishes delinquents, similarly the Council in collaboration with the head teacher punishes after a fair trial, delinquents acting contrary to the welfare of the .-.chool. Bo far this scheme is working satisfactorily and T ant sure is more educative than (lie obsolete method under which the control discipline was solely in the hands off the teacher.” v !(■