WAR'S INFLUENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 161, 9 July 1940, Page 9

WAR'S INFLUENCE.

EFFECT ON CLASSROOM DUTY OF SCHOOL TEACHERS. " PRESENT THE TRUTH." (By Telegraph.—rress Association.) WELLINGTON, Monday. The influence of the war on the classroom was discussed by the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. G. R. Masou, in an address to-night. He said the modern school was too closely, in touch with real life to let the teacher ignore the war altogether. He could not go on teaching the usual school subjects and pi-etend tho war did not exist. It would break in on his work in a score of ways.

The Minister said it was the teacher's 'business to present the truth in such a way that it would bfl understood by children of the age he was dealing with. A child could not be prepared for adult lifo in democracy simply, by hiding from him that differences of opinion existed.

Children must have their critical abilities trained and .must have cool judgment that would enable them to see through false arguments and mass propaganda. They must learn to reject all that is shoddy and cheap, while they still respect tho honest differences of opinion that inevitably arise in a free community.

"Our children must learn that differences of opinion ,tlmt occur in this or any other democracy are only superficial and that underneath there lies a common purpose, the safeguarding of all that is best in our democratic ways of life," said Mr. Meson. "I never want to see our schools made places of propaganda, but it ie no propaganda to instil into every child in every possible way deep and living faith in these great 'human values. It is no propaganda to tell hiii), and tell him again, that the great Empire to which we belong is based on these ideals."

Mr. Mason said there had been some U\\k of late of daily or weekly saluting of the flag as a method of generating patriotism. He hoped he should not be niisiindenHood when he said lie personally had very grave doubts whether that method would do what was intended. It was a fine thing that children should respect the flag as a symbol of all the ideals of the British Empire, but he wondered if saluting it us a matter of daily routine would not rather tend to dull' the emotion that should be aroused bv such 11 ceremony.

'To salute the flag or perform any other ceremony to mark a special occasion could make an impression that might last through life. To do the same thing daily might reduce it tn effortless drill that' demanded no attention and aroused no feeling. It was his ves;*ct for tho fin , .' that ma:le him fear to see the honouring of it become a meaningless habit.