Second Edition. GENERAL WAR NEWS.
Dr John Smyth's ! opinion of tlie Victorian State School teachers and children. Over £47,000 for the War Funds.— Dr John Smyth, Principal of. the Victorian Teachers' Training College, who is a New Zealander, serving the State here (New Zealand), first as a teacher, then as Inspector in the Wanganui district., leaving in the interim for English University training, then spending three periods of his life m Germany, finishing with an extended course at the University of Jena, hasbeen appointed the first Professor of Education to the Melbourne University. '.'■•" . '
It is poetic justice that Mr Frank Tate, M.A., 1.5.0, the Victorian Director of Education, who was the prime mover in stealing Dr. Smyth from New Zealand, should now, as a member of the University Council, aid in robbing his own'department of one of its most distinguished ornaments, in order that the doctor, a s one of the leading educationists of the age, may wield an even greater influence on Australian, life. Having studied Germany'first hand, and being a trained observer, Dr. Smyth has been able to warn Australians of the enormous proposition which the Empire had to face, and of the necessity for each individual straining every possible nerve to assure ultimate victory. The Work of., the Children, ami Teachers.—Dr. Smyth was particularly pleased with the action of the teachers in voluntarily surrendering portion of their salaries for the period of the war. and was delighted with the self-denying patriotism of the child- ' ren. School children and their organisers pour money and warm clothing into the Department's depot at Montague for soldier boys in trench or hospital. Speaking of this wonderful success, Dr. Smyth said to one of the organisers "what a pity-it is that .there should be wrangles and disputes between parties, and between masters and men at the present time, and what a pity it is. that the parties cannot sink their differences for the present, and unite inVpne solid phalanx with one determination, viz., to bring this great war to a successful issue at the earliest possible moment." After stressing the point that among children there are-neither Liberals nor Conservatives, neither Laborites, nor Socialist, nor Socialists, nor antiSocialists, the Doctor continued, "All are sons and daughters of the same great Empire, whose elder brothers are holding the trenches, and giving their lives for the safety of the Empire."
A Lesson from our Despised Enemy, Germany.—"l think we might," proceeded the doctor, "at the- present juncture learn a lesson with great profit, from our despised Germany. All the trades of that country and all the manufactories are organised under one central committee, and all the men and women have willingly agreed to a coarser kind of bread in order that the flour will be 1 shared by all, and will last the longer. Bio whole country from top to bottom, through all classes, is organised and knit together, so that victory to her arms may. be the result. Surely, we who claim a higher freedom than, the Germans have known and who believe \\e have.a more righteous cause, should be able to manifest a-greater unity, and a finer organisation than the Germans posses*;. In#the meantime the children's department of the work is not troubled wijgj any differences. May the. work continue to grow, and may it achieve all the objects, which all the workers hav& in view."
Russian Ambassador (London) refuses Victorian Children's Money.— "Give it to Starving Poles."—Pailerewski's Thanks*.—Sir.. Peter Mcßride, Agent-General for Victoria, waited on the Ambassadors' for our various Allies, on behalf of Jhe Victoria school children offering financial help to starving subjects.. -The Russian Ambassador said: Thank the littlu children; Russia is grateful, but please hand our share to Poles.;,' Paderewski, the world's crentcst pianist>ahd a Pole, wh > has abandoned his art for work, for his country, in f) humble letter of grateful thanks' to tjia Minister of Education (Mr Livingston) said: "My poor, devoted country: The miserv and suffering of my people ore indescribable. Two hundred citta and towns 1400 churches. 7500 pillages utterly destroyed. Over 10,000,000 laborious,, peace-loving ' rural people have neither shelter nor bread. My unfortunate country—once such a ious and. mighty 'kingdom! I apP e >'' ( : to the prosperous farmers of An?tr»i'asia, to their good wives, and kind children, aiid I ask them humbly to think for a while about our Polish
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Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 32, 13 January 1916, Page 6
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725Second Edition. GENERAL WAR NEWS. Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 32, 13 January 1916, Page 6
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