SCHOOL CADET CAMPS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 442, 26 February 1909, Page 8

SCHOOL CADET CAMPS.

; THEIR PLACE IN; EDUCATION, y : v ; f.?:;A jconflict; m 'lapiiim: <;O;i' -; Headmasters of - public •'■■ schoplsf have., an; '■Unfavoiirabio: opinion 'of. cadet rcamps.,. '-11l iWellington, ; the:■•■Headmasters , .-./-Association .has.:'declared them,; aridV;give,'.' : at length, reasons .f.whyV;, ..Cadet, camps, it .is. stated,-, may be: attractivo- from a scenic:.and photographic ;p6int;. ; of-view, but of -little-Value as regards drill:;, the'.time spent in signalling, .skirmishing,; "..and -rso; forth; would bo much : better;employed -ih'tKe: development of. good discipline- and physical xulture,-:in the school ground.:. The/training .of -the ' cadet -officers, .could ■;, be - more economically attained, than ' by :;• collecting boysJrom .various schools and .causing them play.'at soldiers- for- a week; ,the board should rbpeal.;. its.'. ..regulation prohibiting cadet .officers from becoming -.volunteer offi'Cers.;: Teachers.;should,: in..fact, ; be :encouraged -.to, jbiii\the volunteers, and'by passing ■the .examinations .of the .Defence■ Depart:merit, give proof, of:'. their effiicency.'. The .disorganisation icaused'. :in ,the. ;•;school work by ; the disruption of the classes .from whidh the; cadets' were taken, would .not only be felt :'during, the camp, week;:'there, wouldI'be a .restless, -unsettled week -of ..anticipation' -before, and'.an-unsettled: week- after. ■ '; And so-on. .-These, .were: some'-of -the prin-cipal'.reasons,-stated .'.the 'Headmasters' Association, .why., cadet, icamps ■ were -.objected :to. ■■■'■' This- objection came'under .the notice ■of ■ the Education Board yesterday .afternoon,, ■and was : received^with.mixed , feelings.; :';:; '■';' The .officer .'. commanding the. ; First : .Bat-; talion. Wellingtori'll'ublic. School Cadets, re- ■ a meeting of cadet.- officera of: both: citj; battalions,, a , majority declared themselves' in favour, of holding a camp of instruction; as the success of-such an. un'dertakingv necessarily, depended upon, .the cooperation- of .'the headmasters; of ■■tie,--'city 'schools,, the: inajors commanding ■ the,'.second battalions wiiited upon■;.'.--the.';. Headmasters'. ■Association with;reference."to the. proposal O After consideration; the. Headmasters'.Association,: passed he following;:.resolution■:—/; :■ , -''That-' this Association; -is - hot-.in;; ..'favour of,, holding ; , public school.: cadet ;;.'.camps;" .0.;..,::( [::;■.'..:. ■'-.:■'■■•'.': 7 ..\: '••-,-■. > ■' Captain Ti %. ;M'Dpnald was' , ill-pleased, with the'turn of events.; .The cadet' officers, he said, 'had, as a ttt.and.proper.proceeding, '.consulted 'their.' headmasters ..before going/ on -with- the: arrangements;.for.:..the camp, and the headmasters had thrown,a, wet blanket over "the whole : thing.. .They: practically .said "No—there will, be no camp. ,. He pointed - out 'that without- practical instruction: of. the'kind'to" be 'obtained in ; t a camp of this kind; much of the r.value, of the would belost. / There was no, use in having a fancy "organisation. ; After all the , trouble and' pains they- had been atto build'up the'corps;, they should protest, against the movement .being robbed-of its influence. He moved that a committee be set. Up to deal with the.situation..' . . -; ; : Mr. Kebbell seconded.; , ■•.'•'."'.'■'.■■.''■;" -;' -"

. . The 'chairman (Mr.' R. Lee) waSjSorry. to hear of any movement that .was calculated ■to give: the' school' cadet.;corps'.a 'set-back; ■ Mr. '■>' Vile supported "the •'.motion.'"' - ; The principal objection at'issue appeared to him to be the disorganisation;.'■''caused;in;.the school' work by such camps.;. The"question: was whether 'these canips :were part of their education system." .: ■ ■'■: .'■ .:;;: ' ; - : '

. Mr.-'Field thought: that the Minister for Education" should,; be'.asked. : . to', state an. opinion on the •matter! ■ There should'■;bo a fixecl" and -settled- policy with regard to' this question. '-■.■"■ --:-'; '■■'":■.-;■' -V .:■:':.:■- , The..Hon. .A. W. r Hogg. was.-:not...prepared to assert . his :opinion against: the:..'headmasters'' views-concerning .the administration of -their schools.' -■■ -.-■'.- -yr :.;'■-;/■■'.■ .'■-:''-\':'-

Aftor ■ further discussion, it .was-decided to settle tho matter '-at , ai special .meeting to be hold.at.S.:p.m..on Wednesday,■ March. .24." \;\; i -:- :; -■:'■■:■< ■:-. : .-- : -:,:/'-y- ! 'if'-:^r.