“HOW THINGS BEGAN”

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25329, 31 October 1947, Page 8

“HOW THINGS BEGAN”

MR MASON STOPPED BROADCAST HOUSE SUPPORTS ACTION (From Our Parliamentary’ Reporter.) WELLINGTON, October 30. Taking full responsibility for ordering the cancellation of the educational broadcasts to schools in the series "How Things Began/’ the former Minister of Education (Mr H. G. R. Mason) told the House of Representatives today that it would be hard to defend the broadcasts whatever good there might have been in them. “Most parents would object to their children receiving the doctrine that man’s faith in his destiny might confidently rest on the expansion of his intellect at the rate implied by the dramatised broadcasts,” said Mr Mason.

The House upheld the Minister’s action by accepting the report of the Education Committee that it had no recommendation Io make on a petition asking for an inquiry into the stoppage of the broadcasts. During the of the report, the Prime Minreter (Mr P. Fraser) asked whether ilf was necessary for a child of tender fcrears to be let into the family secrets of the ape family of 50.000 years ago. It had been suggested that the Minister of Education had not acted on the advice of the organisations concerned. said Mr Mason, but the Minister was responsible to the House rather than to outside organisations. Letter Sent to Institute He then read to the House the copy of a letter he had written to the Education Institute, in which it was stated that as the origin of man was important in religion its dramatisation for children easily led to strong religious controversy. “The question has been raised whether the broadcasts could be freed from this difficulty,” wrote the Minister, “by some supplementary matter to the effect that they embodied the general conclusions of scientists as to the origin of man’s physical frame but had no bearing on the problem of man’s soul or the teachings of religion. But perusal of the scripts of the suspended broadcasts shows that this is not feasible.” The letter said the degradation of man’s origin received emphasis and expressions such as “husband,” “wife,” “boy,” and “girl,’-’ commonly reserved for human relationships* were applied to sub-human beings and identified human beings with them in their repulsive condition. “Nor do we find love of beauty ministered to in the language used in the scripts,” the letter continued. “A good deal of slang from - the child characters is used, doubtless giving verisimilitude but failing by standards of taste. I think some of the expressions would tend to increase the slang vocabulary of hearers, but even if I am mistaken I think the presentation of slang from an authoritative source must definitely be condemned.”

Inconsistency Alleged A certain inconsistency appeared in the scientific content of the broadcasts. Mr Mason said. The broadcasts were listened to by children whose scientific advancement fell short of enabling them to use the idea of evolution in the furtherance of scientific study. •

“The moral and aesthetic influence —the disrespect Jof parenthood, the quite unnecessary impression of degradation or disgust in relation to human origin, the teaching of slang—would all incur acute censure,” said the letter. “The icomplaint would be bitter that the Minister of Education with so much ?ood to select from should countenance what is doubtful, and I do not pretend that I think the complaint would be unjustified.” Mr M. H Oram (Opposition. Manawatu) said the petition .rs did not want to open up a controversy, whether the broadcast was a fit and proper subject for schools but they were concerned with the sudden stoppage of the broadcasts. He suggested that in future if broadcasts were to be incorporated in the norma] curriculum of schools there should be more and closer collaboration between the Minister and the department. - and better supervision" The chairman of the committee. (Mr Clyde Carr): The broadcasts were stopped immediately they became objectionable. The Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) said the Minister’s attention was drawn to the broadcasts by a fundamentalist. and people of that opinion were entitled to their opinions respected, although they could not force them upon other As children mature they should be confronted with all theories about man and his hisfcry, but it did not follow that young children should be taught in the school curriculum things to which their parents might take strong objection. Care must be exercised to ensure that a tyranny of scientific dogma was not substituted for the tyranny *cf religious intolerance. ‘ Committee Unanimous Mr R M. Algie (Opposition, Remuera) said the Education Committee had reached a unanimous conclusion and he for one would stand behind the Minister. The committee had agreed that the Minister had acted as a Minister ahd although “How Things Began” lid the support of eminent authority and the support of religious bodies and the Royal Society in England, the Minister was the final arbiter of w|)at -hould be broadcast to schools.

Dr. A. M. Finlay (Government North Shore) said he had been under the impression that the petition sought continuation of the broadcasts. He would have liked the merits of the broadcasts determined by the committee. The broadcast was prepared by the B B C. and was supported by eminent authorities, and that raised a prima facie case that it was suitable for children.

Mr W. A. Bodkin (Opposition. Central Otago) said • that to allow the broadcasts to continue as a definite part of the curriculum of schools in the face of the opposition of parents would lead to an intolerable situation

Replying to the discussion. Mr Carr said members should not underestimate the intelligence of children. It would be a great tragedy and a backward movement if evolution were not taught in at least the secondary schools.