OUR GIRLS AND BOYS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17749, 28 April 1923, Page 2

OUR GIRLS AND BOYS.

TO THE *DITOR Or "THE PBSSS." Sir, —I quite agree with the opinion of the Magistrate that inferior literature is the of much youthful crime. But 1 hardly tnink that the present day average uoy is any worse man wo were, say iiuy years ago. 1 remember quite well seeing" pictures of ponce i<p uie lumuus li.elly gang, ana we uoy>> it just tne Liiiu fc tj emulate. Ceviun.ly yuj uad 110 hre-aims (a misfortune m- our ej esj, t>ut iiau si out aau our iieai uiy lungs were put to fuil use. \»nat 1 wish to emphasise is this. Whicu is tiie more seiiMOie subject for me mmd, jUeuuuood i>ick yarns or the utory of tlie i'lMicess who, true to .some uuuaturai custom, is put unuer tlie wurueii of marrying a frog. Tue .utter is taught to-day in our puoiic sciioois, and j. certainly vote for tne former, if children are taught to believe the coiuexits of tueir lesson books, ana we ui't.ue that tueir future -is shaped by wuat they read, vviiy not give 'them worth while to tnink about, instead of hliing them up with impo»siu»e anu preposterous tales and then punish ihem lor trie natural result —piayuig foolish pranks? I would recommend more natural study, tne study of birds, beasts and hsii, etc., would be far more advantageous than learning when a certain young Prince was turned into a hog and ail the rest of the fairy business. LI. en theftnost simple lessons are valuable and likely to lead one higher and higher. We also hear many complaints about the present day flappers. This ia caused, I am sure, by our educational system which has created flaDiJerdom. The sooner we begin to teach something more useful, tne 'better it will be for humanity generally. How can we expect to grow good wheat if we sow thistles?— Yours, "etc., EIDELMEISS. Timaru.