Teaching Civic Pride

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31247, 20 December 1966, Page 22

Teaching Civic Pride

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, Dec. 19. Instead of playing bowls and criticising, grandparents should give up some of their time to help to bring up their grandchildren, said Mr G. S. R. Macdonald, at a meeting of the Auckland Regional Authority tonight. Mr Macdonald said he was

defending parents against a claim that they were all falling down on their jobs. “A lot of the blame for parents’ inadequacies,” he said, “can be laid fairly and squarely at the feet of the grandparents.” The authority was debating a motion by Mr W. B. Souter that the authority convene a meeting of education authorities and others interested in the welfare of children, to recommend to the Governmnt ways of teaching children public responsibility and civic pride.

Mr Souter said that in too large a section of the community parental teaching and control had failed. “A proportion of parents today are irresponsible themselves and they are rearing adolescents who are also irresponsible,” he said. “Witness the wanton destruction of public amenities, of lifesaving gear, of the dropping of litter and broken glass. “There appears to be no alternative but to ask our kindergarten and primary teachers to do the job that the parents should do. “What I have suggested is a job for experts, for the Education Department, training college, psychologists, businessmen, patriots as well as local body men.”

Mr Souter said local authorities should be geared to take over the finding and organising of profitable outlets for youthful enthusiasm and energy.

To try to pick up youth at the adolescent stage was too late.“ Let us organise ourselves now,” he said. Mr E. Pinches said he had been associated with youth clubs for 20 years.

“Although I support the meeting,” he said, “I would say that you can have meeting after meeting and you won’t solve anything.” It was decided to hold the conference next year.