Lecturer’s comment on “Little Red Book”

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32879, 30 March 1972, Page 16

Lecturer’s comment on “Little Red Book”

The decision of the Indecent Publications Tribunal to declare the controversial “Little Red Book” not indecent has been commended by a principal lecturer at the secondary division of the Christchurch Teachers’ College as a “step forward,” and one that all schools should note. Mr H. C. Evison, principal lecturer in teaching practice at the college, said that any school which now sought to ban the book would be taking a step that would turn the clock back. The book, designed for sec-ondary-school pupils, was constructive, thoughtful, and provocative, Mr Evison saifi, and no more likely to appeal to prurient minds than any modern English dictionary. “Its approach to the personal issues and problems confronting today’s teenagers is direct and unequivocal; in this respect it is in;

line with much of modern; literature,” he said. Mr Evison said that he based his view of the book’s; contents on its two main topics, education and personal and social problems. “In education, it emphasises that this should be student-centred rather than teacher-centred. This is a view already supported by most educationists and, of course, should involve a large measure of student responsibility.” Referring to the book’s section on social and personal problems, Mr Evison said that he commended its attempt to be mainly factual on sex, drugs, smoking, and abortion. The emphasis was again on personal responsibility rather than respect for socially accepted rules and ideals of behaviour. “The attitude towards sex and abortion is liberal—some would say permissive—and acepti-

cism is expressed towards drugs and alcohol,” Mr Evison said. “Tobacco-smoking, however, is roundly condemned.” The main issue for many people regarding the book would be whether secondary school pupils were mature enough to make their own decisions of these matters, Mr Evison said. “In a society where highschool students, like everyone else, are subject to a constant barrage of propaganda both direct and oblique regarding sex, drugs tobacco-smoking, and so on, I believe they have to be mature enough to make their own decisions,” he said. “The book boldly brings these issues out into the open, and thus follows in line with the advice Bertrand Russell gave many years ago to a previous generation: ‘There is only one way to avoid indecency and that is to avoid mystery,’” Mr Evison said.