BOYS' VOCATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 65, 18 March 1938, Page 9

BOYS' VOCATIONS.

REPORT OF Y.M.C.A. ENGINEERING APPEALS. FARMING IS NOT POPULAR. (Ry Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) CHRTSTCHURCH, this day. The respect, or rather the lack of respect, of the younger generation for their elders is a tattere<l . and the lament possibly finds an echo in the report on Standard YI. lioys for 1937. drawn up by the vocational guidance department of the Y.M.C.A. Out of i,">•> 1 kivo, only seven indicated that they chose some jiarticular vocation because it was "the same «is father's or some other relation's"'! Further, only five made their choice because of their parent*' express wishes. Possibly (he younger generation is more self-reliant. The report includes some interesting items. It states that 105 boys have adopted mode] aeroplanes as their hobby. As a further indication of the boys' air-inindedness, thirty-five stated that they wished to carve out careers for themselves in the world of aviation. Engineering had the most popular appeal, 185 naming the various brandies as their choice. Only 20 wished to be connected with farming, while S7 selected clerical positions. The Civil Service accounted for 44 nominations, while 21 of the boys wished to become school teachers. Two desired to be commercial travellers. while several wished to be lawyers and doctors. Other choices included bakers, artists, jockeys, panel-beaters, wool-classer. cartoonist, chemist, botanists and furriers. The second largest number, 157, had no choice at all! The report states that more Ik>vs wished to enter the professions at the expense of the trades, and that agriculture was still declining in popularitj-. No Reasons Given. Prospects of advancement enticed 27 boys to make their decisions, while 356 made up their minds because the work appealed to them. Almost as many, 332, made their choice for 110 reason at all. Rugby appealed to 273 boys as the best sport, with cricket, tennis, swimming and hockey following in that order. Thirty were not interested in sport, while !><» were without hobbies. The collecting of stam]>s and match boxes was the most popular hobby. Five hundred and seventeen boys stated that they could swim, but the report adds that a greater niinibe* than formerly indicated that they could not swim. In conclusion, the report states that too many boys selected one vocation aVid too few another. The reasons for selecting certain vocations were vague and unsatisfactory, while many boyt» stated that circumstances would compel them •> take jobs they did not want. About six hundred boys stated that they would be going on to post-primary schools, but many did not know where or what for. In addition, the percentage of boys attending Sunday school is not as high as it should be.