ARE WE DEGENERATING

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 213, 8 September 1899, Page 2

ARE WE DEGENERATING

(To the Editor.)

Sir,- -Are our young men degenerating? The origin of this query is the fact of several public libraries and reading-rooms receiving such sickly support, while some are altogether closed. Why is such? In former years these institutions formed an important feature more or less in the evening life of every small town., In the Old Country no town of 1000 adults or more was considered to be complete without its reading-room or mechanics' institute, and such too were equally well patronised bj* knowledge-seekers. Eound about Auckland to-day, what do we see? Onehunga wltb its library and reading-room totally closed —extinct. Newmarket, going the same way. The Devonport institution in a sickly state. Parnell, Newton, and Ponsonby, each without one. It may be asked, where or what is the substitute? Mentally or intellectually there is no substitute whatever; tlie only substitute would seem to he the physical, the animal. AYe Lave really become, athlete mad. Common sense In tbls matter is dethroned, and reason partially. so. Not content with engrossing the attention of young men, the matter or object has lately been forced upon the common schools by the arranging of competing matches, etc., and so convincing even boys that animal pastimes are the chief goal in 'ifei and as if such incentiA-e Avere aral! needful. When the Intellectual Is sod or exchanged fcir that which Is merely animal or physical it becomes a very poor pro_pc.t indeed f.'f a nation. And such is quite true of a large a section of Auckland's young men at the present hour. It is too probable also that twice or more the number of schoo'boys are being urged on to follow in their wake. Either amusement or else a blank Seems to be the general order of the day at present. Precious time and opportunity for mental progress with such are simply Ignored, trodden under foot as only worthless. Fools! One life only here, and that tossed away! It is feared that this stands true of possibly two-thirds of the young men of this city (not the country) at this moment. The large amount of present nightly street Idleness witnessed is part's proof of same. But, Nil Desperandum. and never too late to mend. Awau^, young men, to your individual possibilities!--! auJ, etc,