"SUBVERSION" IN SCHOOLS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 783, 23 July 1954, Page 5

"SUBVERSION" IN SCHOOLS

Sir-May I be permitted to comment on your editorial " ‘Subversion’ in the Schools," and particularly on the seritence, "There are no doubt teachers with extreme left-wing opinions; and in the university colleges there may be individuals who lean in theory towards Communism." This sentence, intentionally or unintentionally, givés the impression that it is mofe likely that in the university colleges one will -find

those who lean towards Communism, and if not more likely in a general sense, then at least more likely than in the teaching profession, , As a gtaduate of Victoria University College, which still suffers from a widely-held impression among the public that it is a "red" University College, I think your editorial will. only serve to strengthen that ill-founded impression. The fact is that the very small, zealous and active minority which is known as "red" in any University College has had little real influence for years. The most influential groups are almost certainly Christian ones. Most students and staff members, almost without exception, are opposed to Communism. I do not think it is fair or near the truth to imply that Communism is, more likely to be active in University Colleges. It is, I think, worth pointing out that both in Wellington and Auckland many of the students are also Training College students and therefore future teachers. Some proportion of the leftwing organisations was usually made up of Training College students. This does not mean that I think the R.S.A. proposal should be supported as wise or practical. Oaths of allegiance mean nothing to a Communist and are therefore ineffective. There is, as you point out, too great a danger that any individuals with different ideas or attitudes will. be wrongly informed against, and that could apply to many patriotic and dutiful Christians. The solution to the problem of Communism in University Colleges, Training Colleges or New Zealand generally rests with the members of those organisations they are trying to influence. In University Colleges increased facilities for a communal student life, good hostels and common rooms, for example, will ensure student interest, and when a fair number of students are interested Communism has very little chance of survival. Intellectually Communism has little appeal; it only stays alive because it appears to champion the underprivileged, and for that reason schemes like the Colombo Plan merit R.S.A. support to a much greater degree than resolutions like those which were the subject of your editorial. M. F. McINTYRE (Gisborne). (Our correspondent must surely be giving words the meanings he wants them to have if he believes that "there may be. . ," is stronger than ‘‘there are no do sod ae, )