HE NEVER WAS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 291, 3 August 1932, Page 4

HE NEVER WAS

An English headmaster has voiced a striking and drastic criticism of the modern boy. "By comparison with the boy of thirty years ago (he states) he is timid, untruthful, and dishonest. He expects to be taken everywhere. The old spirit of adventure has been destroyed. There are a large number of young people who work feebly j and play feebly." The allegation of untruthfulness and dishonesty is surely not warranted, unless the schools which set and maintained these British ideals have lost their light. But to the rest of the criticism the best retort is that given by Punch, when told that Punch was not what it used to be, "It never was." What old boy returning to his school does not think that the big boys are smaller than they were in his day? But if he takes the average weight of the first fifteen he will probably find little difference. There may be a slight loss of weight, beeause new teaching methods result in an average lower leaving age. But the old boy's impression is due mainly to the fact that he himself has grown — in body and mind. He sees with changed • vision. Nevertheless it is strange

to find a headmaster denying the energy and adventure of the modern boy. His experience must surely be different from that of most parents who find difficulty in controlling that spirit. Were the boys of thirty years back more energetic and resourceful in their pastimes ? Did they even show as great an independence as modern youth with his camping and tramping expeditions, and his keen interest and full participation in everything 1 that makes an active life ?