BONDS OF EMPIRE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 164, 1 October 1927, Page 27 (Supplement)

BONDS OF EMPIRE

GIGANTIC SCHOOL CORRESPONDENCE A great scheme* has been launched between the school children of New Zealand and those of the Mother Country, and has already resulted in the interchange of many thousands of letters. The main object of this now soundly-established correspondence is to link up the bonds of Empire and make the coming generation of each country thoroughly conversant with the products and possibilities of the other. The scheme originated in Hawerat and was organised by Mr. L. O. Hooker in 1924. It has now the support of Parliament and is under the patronage of the Prime Minister, the Hon. J. G. Coates. The co-operation of the various education boards will add the final foundations to the scheme. The letters written in the schools are parcelled and sent to the organiser at Hawera, who has them classified according to the standard and sex of the writer. They are then inserted, together with a folder and other printed matter, such as photographs, newspaper (illustrations and other suitable clippings, in special envelopes prepared by ! the Publicity Bepartm ?nt, the front of the envelope denoting the school, standard and sex of the writer. So classified they can be easily distributed on reaching each school district in England. Under the scheme the children are asked to write letters of at least two foolscap pages to a pupil in Great Britain, the first portion of the letter to deal with the products of the Bominion, the remainder to be left to the child’s discretion. With the co-operation of the British education authorities, the scheme is j meeting with well-merited recognition, | the astonishing total of practically a quarter of a million le-ters being asked i for from all parts of England.