CARE OF YOUTH

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20986, 13 December 1939, Page 8

CARE OF YOUTH

IN TIME OF WAR MAINTAINING EDUCATION PREPARE THEM FOR FUTURE DANGER OF WORKING TOO SOON Responsibilities of the utmost importance which rest upon those whose duty it will be to care for the rising generation during the war were emphasised by the Principal of the Hamilton Technical College, Mr W. Fraser, in his address at the annual prize-giving ceremony this afternoon, which marked the end of the school year. He also commented upon the effects of the war upon education in general and the Technical College in particular. “Ours is a new school, founded since the great conflict of 1914-1918, and consequently has not previously had to endure the pangs of war,” caid Mr Fraser. “Hundreds of boys

have passed through our cadet corps merely as a school institution and with little thought of either the glamour or horror of war. From the training, however, they gained much discipline, bearing and corporate spirit. Those who had the good fortune to reach the rank of noncommissioned officers developed in leadership and confidence. Old Boys at the War “The more adventurous spirits later sought fields afar and both the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force have attracted a number of them. The outbreak of war found these immediately mobilised. Here in New Zealand many others were permanently occupied in the air force at both Hobsonville and Wigram. Other branches of the service have since received their quota and the Waikato Company of the Rifle Battalion, which Mr L. I. Day now commands, is not without its share. “To those of us left behind, the duty is plain,” added Mr Fraser. “A challenge has been issued to democracy and the duty of citizenship demands that all should learn to understand and think to the best of their ability. A period of reconstruction must come and experience teaches that this is the most difficult of all. The rising generation must be prepared for this. It behoves us to see that their education is carried to the utmost limit. Attention to Education “The tendency in the past, both in Britain and in New Zealand, has been to sacrifice education to things considered more material. Much concern is at present being evinced in Britain over the chaotic state of affairs due to evacuation, or, perhaps more correctly, to the non-evacua-tion of many whose parents did not give their consent. The lack of school control and discipline has already become apparent and must produce injurious effects. Fortunately, we are not faced with this problem, but there may be others, such as the premature attraction of children into industry, against which we may have to be on the alert.” Mr Fraser, after commenting upon the selection for active service of Mr L. I. Day, a former master of the school, spoke of the achievement of an old boy, M. Innes-Jones, who joined the Royal Air Force some six years ago. He was the first of the school’s old boys actually to be engaged in active service, being a member of the squadron which made such a daring raid on the Kiel Canal in the first few days of the war.