Very Important People
DDRESSING the boys of Wellington College a few days ago, His Excellency the Governor-General urged them not to follow in the footsteps of their elders. Their elders, he said very earnestly, were failures. An opportunity had come to them and they had not known what to do with it. But-another opportunity would come soon, and it would depend on the "very important people" now at school whether there would be failure a second time. By failure His Excellency of course meant neglect or misuse of the opportunity to build a new world, and he was very frank about the difficulties. But, as some of his hearers must have realised, his remarks, and even his presence at the College, meant that one difficulty at least had been removed. For these "very important people" were the sons of all classes of New Zealanders and not of one class only. They were there because it is beginning to be realised everywhere that a new world means a better educated world, better informed, and more critical citizens, with fuller opportunities to develop and express themselves. When His Excellency went to school a secondary education for an overwhelming proportion of the community was obtained with extreme difficulty. Getting it was in fact one of the great problems that stood in the way of a better world. But already, in theory at least, it is available to everybody in New Zealand who is not subnormal, and it is beginning to be available to every British boy everywhere. And the removal of that hindrance to a better world removes another with it. The old conception of a secondary school was that it was a place of preparation for leaders. The new conception is that it prepares leaders and followers alike, making the choice of leaders more intelligent, and the obedience of the followers more discriminating. Whatever we call our new world, and by whatever means we achieve it, its opportunities and rewards must be available to all who deserve them, or it will not stand.
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 110, 1 August 1941, Page 4
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341Very Important People New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 110, 1 August 1941, Page 4
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Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
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