TRAINING OF YOUTH

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 13790, 6 November 1942, Page 6

TRAINING OF YOUTH

BRITAIN REDRAFTS PLANS Post-War Educational Programme Part-time Service For Boys and Girls London, Sept. 12. A Conservative postwar educational programme including a plan For compulsory enrolment of all young people between 14 and IS for part-time service to state was published here yesterday. The plan links up with, recently announced Labour, Liberal and other 0 programmes to show that main seclions of opinion here are ready to go forward with drastic changes in Great Britain's educational system. That educational reform must be the cornerstone of postwar reconstruction has been stressed by speaker after speaker at numerous political conferences in past weeks. Newspapers, too, have been full of correspondence similarly underlining a new deal for youth as the paramount need of the future. Now the Conservative Party which in the absence of a general election for the past seven years still domin-

ates Parliament, has come into lino

by declaring through its education subcommittee that educational reform must be regarded as Britain's "biggest long-term job." Briefly. Conservative proposals

published here provide for the following plan—compulsory membership al It in a federation of youth incorporating all existing youth organisations.

The Federation would be under ;i new department of the Board of Education and controlled by a Leader chosen from outside the Civil Service, with helpers recruited from fighting services, civilian industrial sources and local education offices.

Statutory power would be required to control part of the unemployed time of boys and girls between 14

and 18 in activities "to promote interests of the state and develop any future career of the individual as

regards body, mind, and spirit." But lime spent in such activities would come normally and mainly out of working hours —whether young folks nvo in school, university or factory.

Particular emphasis would be placed on development of those Qualities of "toughness, endurance initiative and alertness" which the committee said are found in the outdoor life of new countries such as Australia and Canada. Youth committees would enforce minimum attendance. Scope of Reform Problem Education reform is an especially big problem in Britain because of the traditional two-class system which In the past provided one type of schooling for leaders and another for the led. Other factors still further complicate the situation. So the Conservative Party has invited strong political controversy, both inside and outside its own ranks, by deciding to face education issues now. Actually the subcommittee's report has still to be considered by the general party conference in October and submitted to Party Leader Winston Churchill before it is officially incorporated in the party platform. Nor is the subcommittee's report yet complete in findings on the vital issue of what is to be done with public schools —corresponding to private schools in the U.S.

But already the Conservative proposal for compulsory enrolment of youth is being heavily assailed from many sides on the grounds it stands for regimentation reminiscent of the totalitarian pattern. The Times of London, for instance, is critical to the extent that it charges the Conservatice subcommittee's report with dwelling too much on "service to the state" —a term which invites misunderstanding and controversy." Quality of Leadership

The Times continues, "the report might have found some better definition of the type of public spirit which it has in view. Youth has a duty to the community which can be simplified further as part of man's duty to his neighbour." Choice of leader? is of paramount importance, the limes agree? and

odds that it is leadership of a creative kind that is needed.

All political parties in Britain seem agreed that youth shall have a new deal in the new world. There is general agreement on such developments as raising of schoolleaving age and equal educational opportunities for all children. There is no agreement on whether British

schooling shall become state system, as in the United States, or as to what religious teaching ihere is to be in the future.

Disagreement is particularly sharp on the question of youth organisation. The Conservative sub-commit-tees make it clear in the course of its report that its motive for organisation of youth is to perpetuate that new sense of service and sacrifice which has inspired this nation in war. Conservatives, like other political parties, are concerned net only with education and trainingjunior citizens but also with taking on responsibility of seeing they have jobs, making them useful and happy. In return They expect some service from youth. Labour Minister Ernest Bevin has said the same th.ingg. He expects citizens of a better world to come . L o think as much of what they are to give as to what they are to receive from the state.

Each political party in Britain is still inclined to regard planned life and an organised community as a safe measure only in its own particular hands and to cry Fascism. Communism, or some other slogan when another party proposes to do the planning or organising. Therefore, clearer defining of various postwar political plans as has been occurring lately with accompanying debate and discussion, are welcomed here as a necessary preliminary to actual drawing up of blueprints for reconstruction.