USE OF LEISURE

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21813, 19 June 1936, Page 8

USE OF LEISURE

“MORE CREATIVE” SCHOOLS NEEDED PROFESSORS SHELLEY’S COMMENT That the solution of the problem of using leisure most profitably lay in the system of educating children, was the opinion expressed by Professor J. Shelley, professor of education at Canterbury College, in commenting to “The Press” yesterday upon recent statements mac? joy the ivimistei for Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, in discussing the best means of employing the increased leisure which would result from the Government’s new industrial legislation.

“I can say that I agree with the general tenor of Mr Parry’s attitude,” said Professor Shelley, “but the solution is not so much the provision of facilities for creative activity and initiative. The problem is rather one of so educating the children that they will seek these opportunities that the Minister is so anxious to provide. “Our schools must be more creative and less -passive and they must teach the joys to be derived from quiet contemplation instead of emphasising so much the go-getting speed of the machine age. Leisure hours which follow the same tempo as that of mechanised industry will be of little ultimate profit to the individual or the race. It is to be hoped that Mr Parry will give energetic help to the Minister for Education in the future provision of a real system of adult edu-. cation, using education in its broadest sense—that of enriching the life of the people. “To provide facilities for the people to do what they want in their leisure hours is not enough. We must provide also the stimulus which will raise the standard of the wants themselves.” {

Rural Culture Needed Speaking of Mr Parry’s reference to the country people. Professor Shelley said: J “We can be sure that country people will seek the towns unless effective cultural facilities and stimuli are provided in the country itself. We need a real rural culture, not merely rural industries, if we are to preserve that intimate contact of man with nat-ire upon which the whole of tion uhtr/ately depends.” wvu «*- nrA sked e thought the change to a f- h ™7 eek would make an alprwiable difference, Professor Shelley said* • Jt , w i ! - time for the cLngi involved in the greater leisure to S If it is really going to benefit the people, it nnt » merely of freemg their titoe, W °f f l6 ® l ®® their cramped spirits This ultimately involves more of the na“ tions wealth being spent in nTTn ductive ways if » mMn materia) production, but fi m orl \V»» quality o t our hlimanily

- ——tHß‘"The dream of Thornes Mb** jg-, the sixteenth century long befWCjW machine age, was of a six-hour daflPr doubtless with effective organs**" we could indulge even in a day than that. But human BWr does not mean greater and greater sibilities for human idleness, but er and greater striving towards a w* expressive life.”