The Dominion THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 1915. GERMAN CULTURE IN NEW ZEALAND

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2550, 26 August 1915, Page 4

The Dominion THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 1915. GERMAN CULTURE IN NEW ZEALAND

The Prime Minister made an important statement in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon in reply to questions regarding the position of Professor von Zedlitz at Victoria College. Mr. Massey said it was. the opinion of the Government that neither in our university colleges nor public schools is it desirable that unnaturalized enemy subjects should continue to give instruction to tie youth and children of the Dominion. He also made it clear that the Government recognises that the matter oannot be finally disposed of by a mere expression of opinion, however positive. He gave the. assurance that "if necessary, legislation will'be.introduced before the end of the session to deal with the situation." It is certainly necessary that prompt and effective steps should bo taken to ensure that no enemy subject shall bo entrusted with the education of our young people. If this principle cannot bo enforced without legislation thea legislative action must be taken. The Government must not allow any private or personal considerations to stand in the way of its plain duty to the nation in this connection. The matter ought not to be regarded froirt tho personal point of view at all. Wo nave nothing to say against the character or qualifications of any of the Germans.who at present occupy responsible position in our State educational institutions; 1 but we firmly hold that it is utterly wrong in principle that German professors or tcachers should bo allowed to have any part ih' the moulding of the minds arid characters of yo.ing New Zcalauders'. This war has clcared our vision and, taught us many lessons, and they arc being impressed on us with increasing force as tho struggle progresses. Germany has removed hor mask and wci now sec her as she really is. Wo know that professors and school teachers in Germany havo been preparing the way for this war . for years. They have saturated tho 1 minds and hearts of their pupils with the idea that Britain is tho great enemy and that tho overthrow ■ of tho British Empire should bo the passionate desire of every true German. They have even since the war i began encouraged German children f to concentrate all their capacity for 1 liating on England. We have no inI (ention ot defiling the minds of our I boys and girls with hymns of liato against Germany or any other nation; but we are detennined as far ; as possible to eliminate German influence from their education. It is ' I high time that British communities

threw off the it intellectual 'bondage 1 to Teutonic thought. Our educationists ha to hitherto '.been too | much inclined to sit at the feet of i German professors and philosophers, I In a striking article in the llibbert i Journal Mit. Jos.'spn H. C hooker, i of Boston, deplores the fact that Gcr- i man culture is permeating theuni- ' vcrsity system of the United States. ' He points out that when the ideals 1 of a people are radically modified , 1 their destiny will surely be deflected 1 into other channels. "When the j plastic youth of a land have for a 'generation or two, been trained by 1 teachers imbued with an alien cul- ' ture, the country will some day realise that its old authorities have ceased to rule and that the glory of its peculiar institutions has, to somo extent at least, faded." It may be urged that a German teacher- in New Zealand would not be so foolish as to bring trouble upon himself by propagating Teutonic ideas and ideals. But it should always bo remembered that the relation of teacher and pupil is a very intimate one. _ No true teacher can help imparting something of his own personality to his pupils. Intentionally or unintentionally he creates an intellectual and moral atmosphere which 'is unconsciously inhaled by the children in his class, and which must inevitably play a part in the moulding of their character. During the past twelve months the. peoplo of New Zealand Have learned something of the meaning of German "culture," and they do not want any of it either for themselves or tlnir children. The Gorman spirit has been discredited and its spell broken.' It is the duty of the Government to talco the necessary measures for removing every vgstige of 'it from all branches of our State education system.