WIRELESS IN SCHOOLS.

Shannon News, 2 October 1925, Page 4

WIRELESS IN SCHOOLS.

♦ EXPERIENCE' IN NEW SOUTH : WALES. A movement is afoot to revive the idea of establishing wireless in every school in New South Wales. For about four months last year a special wireless session was held daily in those schools which had installed loud speakers. The lectures were given from Sydney by officers of the Education Department. In some quarters they were acclaimed as of high value. The sendee however,, was suddenly cut off. The attitude of the department "’as that the interest exhibited by the schools themselves was too meagre, and the deficiencies of the system, too' great to justify a continuation' of thebig outlay involved. \ The stand taken up by the Director of Education (Mr. Smith) is that while broadcasting is a most valuable means of disseminating useful know* ledge to mature minds is is of very little advantage to children. His attitude is that young children can rarely i:o]low an address or lecture by a stranger, even where they have the added restraint and discipline of personal contact with the speaker. But the newly-formed Radio Broadcast Bureau, fortified by the belief that -Minister for Education is sympathetic with it, is not to be thwarted by the Director’s attitude, and is seeking the co-operation of the Parents and Citi- [ zens’ Association in a move to have a receiving set and loud speaker installed in every school in the land. Already one of the big broadcasting stations has resumed special transmissions for those schools with sets, but the Director has warned teachers that they will be wise to apply for definite permission before they utilise school hours for the reception of broadcasted lessons. It now remains to be seen whether the Minister (Mr. Mutch) will over-ride the Director, and pronounce his benediction upon the movement. Another Minister was in office when the experiment was last trlea - *.*«■