CHILD 0F TODAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 932, 27 March 1930, Page 9

CHILD 0F TODAY

AUCKLAND WOMEN PROTEST AGAINST REMARKS NOT UNDISCIPLINED Unruly and undisciplined ... allowed to run wild . . . were difficult to teach. and thought nothing of breaking the rules at school. THIS was the expressed opinion of Mrs. J. C. M. Allen, a resident of Remuera. concerning Auckland children. She addressed her remarks to the delegates of the Auckland Provincial Federation of Women’s Institutes on Tuesday afternoon. Auckland women, however. consider that Mrs. Allen’s remarks are a libel on children of the city. Several opinions were gleaned this morning from women associated with the education of child ren. The majority of them considered that Mrs. All n had been rather unjust. The principal of one school objected to New Zealand children being branded, and remarked that children of today Wv re allowed great freedom in all parts of the world. “WONDERFUL" "New Zealand children are wonderful," emphatically remarked Lady Sinclair Lockhart, when asked to comment on Mrs. Allen’s opinion. "Certainly they are advanced in their ideas, but they are very self-reliant, and their manners I have always found to bo excellent.” Lady Sinclair Lockhart, who has been associated with a great deal of kindergarten work in Auckland, spoke of the manners of schoolboys, and said that the behaviour of the boys of the Dilworth School was perfect. "To my knowledge. I have never seen unruly children.” she continued. ‘ I cannot think too highly of them.” Mrs. E. H. B. Milsom. one of the presidents of the Auckland Kindergarten Asociation, said that the object of all women’s associations of that kind was to foster the home influence and training. "The Kindergarten Association begins that work by instilling discipline into the children at an early age,” Mrs. Milsom continued. "There are eight kindergartens In Auckland under the direction of the Auckland Kindergarten Association, which is affiliated with the New Zealand Free Kindergarten Union. "I think that a statement that Auckland children are allowed to run wild is too general, although it may be true of a very small section of the community. Auckland, in my opinion, is no worse in this respect than any English town.” "My own view is that there Is not much difference between the Auckland children and those of any other part of New Zealand,” remarked Mr. G. J. Park, director of the Seddon Memorial Technical College, who is concerned with the education of hundreds of boys and girls. "Any remarks by a visitor must be made from a narrow point of view, and without a full knowledge of the situation. We get very few exceptional cases in a big school such as this—about 10 or 12 in the last 10 years in a school of about 1,000 pupils That is the proportion to the general average of children whose behaviour is extraordinary. "The manners of the children depend on the homes from which they come. On the v/hole the manners of the children at the Technical College are quite good. The boys require some instruction and guidance in conducting themselves in the presence of women and girls, but generally the boy of today is a good-mannered little chap.” Mr. Park explained that when socials were given at the College no girl was allowed to be present unless her parents came for her to take her home, and he suggested that this was a most satisfactory way of conducting mixed socials in schools such as the Technical College. He thought that such socials were good for boys and girls. He felt sure that if Mrs. Allen’s remarks that children were difficult to teach and thought nothing of breaking the rules were referred to any teacher they would bring an emphatic protest. MORE FREEDOM TODAY Miss L. Clouston, principal of St. Cuthbert’s College, agreed that children of today were given much more freedom than in the past. In some ways this was better, as it gave them more confidence in themselves, but it also meant that the treatment of children today should be different from that of a few years ago. "I am very fond of the child of today,” continued Miss Clouston. "but I feel that in some instances they are given a little too much freedom. This, however, will make them more selfreliant, but it may also tend to create a lack of respect for older people.

"If the children of today are properly treated they will make fine men and women. It is a bad olan always to be referring to the ‘good old days’—we should make these days just as good.

"Personally I do not think that anyone should make remarks about the children of one particular place. It is the same today all over the world and it is not fair to criticise the New' Zealand children.” Mrs. T. H. Palmer, of Devonport, who has been closely associated with the Vauxhall School, is an Englishwoman who has resided in Auckland for the past twenty years. "My children have always been brought up just as though they were at Home,” sh*remarked. "There has never been a. finer lot of children than those of Auckland. When I was in Sydney I noticed the difference. There the children were unruly and spent most of their time away from home. "In my opinion the children of Auckland cannot be beaten. I have never seen others better behaved or better brought up. The remarks which have been made are quite uncalled for and most unjust. , „ "Out of the 400 children who have passed through the Vauxhall School you would find only one or two bad cases over a period of several years. Children of are much better for the freedom they are allowed. When the Prince of Wales was in New Zealand he remarked on the splendid i nhvsique and behaviour of the Auck- | land x children.”