EFFECT ON BOYS' EDUCATION

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23349, 7 June 1941, Page 10

EFFECT ON BOYS' EDUCATION

♦ TERRITORIAL SERVICE AT 18 YEARS OF AGE (P.S.S.) DUNEDIN, June 6. The opinion that the education of some secondary school boys would suffer because of the inclusion of 18-year-olds in the territorial service ot the country was expressed by Mr H. P. Kidson, rector of the Otago Boys’ High School, at a meeting of the Dunedin Vocational Guidance Association. Mr Kidson said there were some 15 boys at the Otago Boys’ High School who would have to do three months’ territorial training from July to September, just as they were preparing to sit higher leaving examinations for entry into the professions. The break in their education at this important stage would have a detrimental effect. Mr W. G. Aldridge said that the matter also affected the Technical College, and would probably involve the university to a certain extent, and he thought that postponement of service should be asked for, or that the boys concerned should be allowed to sit special examinations. "I think this is going to cause a great deal of injury to the youth and to the community as a whole,” said Mr A. M. Davidson, “Every industry will be affected after the war, and the Government should be warned of the danger. When this conflict is over the ‘square peg in the round hole’ will have to be eliminated if we are to have the industrial efficiency that will be required, and this new position will not help matters.” Mr J. L. -Salmond: The authorities will say that the first thing is the winning of the war. The meeting decided that any protest should be made by the secondary schools as a body, as they were most vitally concerned.