A Constructive Contribution

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31862, 14 December 1968, Page 12

A Constructive Contribution

(By

WHIM WHAM

Headmasters and politicians should make constructive remarks about education, rather than try to break it down with their comments. "The record should be changed," Mr A. D. Dick (Nat., Waltaki) said in Parliament.—News item. If all our Criticism were Constructive, Of What, I wonder, would It be productive? I don’t mean Education, let THAT pass. I’m somewhere at the Bottom of the Class. Each School of Thought provides its own Elite, Everyone’s Dux, Sir, in his own Conceit. The human Ego has to be protected, I don’t like having MY Mistakes corrected. Constructive Criticism’s all I ask, By Which I mean Approval, where I bask Like a good Dog, chewing the meaty Bone Constructively in my Direction thrown: The Kind of Criticism which preserves My Self-esteem, and touches no raw Nerves; Or finds a Fault only to let It seem A trivial Blemish in a splendid Scheme. Sir, I must try It one of these fine Days, Not to be Negative, or stint my Praise! Mostly I’m too censorious Altogether, I blame the Weather Office for the Weather, I blame the clumsy Cleaners for the Mess Resulting from our common Foolishness. I should be more Constructive, more benign, Dropping a Helpful Hint in every Line, Balancing Everything that’s said or planned On the one Hand ... but on the OTHER Hand ... It’s worth a try, to see where This would lead Us. Isn’t it, Sir? There’s one Thing worries me, Constructive (on the one Hand) we might be, But (on the other Hand) Who’s going to READ Us?