‘Educational Complacency Amazes’ Professor Messel

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29324, 1 October 1960, Page 12

‘Educational Complacency Amazes’ Professor Messel

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, September 30. ‘ The 38-year-old head of the School of Physics at Sydney University, Professor Harry Messel, left Wellington today amazed at the “almost tragic” complacency of New Zealanders toward education. Before he left for Sydney by plane, Professor Messel said that unless New Zealanders woke up that their education system was fast approaching the antique stage, the adultc of the future would know nothing. ' / r “When people put up arguments about children J needing 'plenty of recreation, school hours already being long enough, and a host of other insignificant things, they are trying to get me to swallow a red herring,” he said.

Professor Messel said that every time, someone found a flaw in an education system, education departments, teachers, and educationists sat back and “patted themselves on the back?’ It was more than evident that they did not realise that education in the last 25 years had gone ahead in other countries at such a rate that the progress being made was astounding. “People have been using the same methods of education in some countries that have been in vogue for 2000 years,” he said. ‘They are trying all kinds of

methods using the same hours and curriculum and they are getting nowhere fast. “If these new methods are sogood, why is the standard of education declining?

"They want to try things that are basic for a change. It is obvious that more hours a day at school are going to be necessary now, if not in the immediate future.

“There is another alternative—more years at school.’-’ Professor JUesse! said he had no argument with New Zealand and considered New Zealanders fine people. "I am sure you have the knowhow to meet the challenge of better education,” he said. •