SCHOOL BUILDINGS

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 37, 12 August 1921, Page 4

SCHOOL BUILDINGS

SHOULD THE YOUNG PEOPLE SUFFERv

10 THS EDITOR,

Sir,—The Executive of tho New Zealand Educational Institute desires the favour of a little of your space for Eomo remarks in connection with the school building. .'.

Tbo subject. has been brought forcibly before the public by the delay in connection with the new Technical School for Wellington. The recent' declaration by the Hon. Sir Francis Bell, and the Hon. Mr. Parr,, that precedence is to be given to primary school buildings in the allotment of ''funds at present available has brought the subject into even greater prominence. It is not the purpose of these remarks to question the soundness of policy underlying this declaration; but rather to direct public attention to the wider question involved in the decision of the Government to postpone wherever possible all expenditure on school buildings.

It is, of course, true that the Government is faced with severe financial stringency, and that expenditure has to be curtailed. The war-debt ha* to bo paid, ittd works of necessary development have to bo carried on. The question that arises for consideration is, which works can be postponed with least injury to the community. The most valuable resource of the country is in its children and young people, and the development of this will give a, better'and more lasting return, though not perhaps immediately, than any other. This development can be carried on only through the schools, and to restrict the training of the young people jn the schools is to inflict on them, and through them on the nation of the future, a lasting injury. The years available to the ypung for education are few and pass quickly; the opportunity that the present generation of young people may be deprived of can never bo made up to them. Other resources will not perish by reason of being left in abeyance for a few years; the minerals will wait in the earth, the power will ondure in the rivers; but the young people who miss their education are maimed for life, robbed of their opportunity of doing their best alike for them■selves ■• and for, the community. Economy is shown j.ot in non-expendi-ture,, but in, wise expenditure, and no expenditure can be wiser than that which increases the power of the people to perform their social,. civic,, and. industrial tasks to the best advantage. Tho financial stringenqy in its present acute form will, in the opinion of those most competent to judge, be of short duration. Ought the children now in the schools to bo permanently loaded with -a debt:of inefficiency because of a passing cloud in the monetary- sky? ' Surely-not, the more especially as the very faoti-of their being so loaded to-day will .lessen their power of bearing their share of the common burden in the future. "■; . ,

The best way to enable the nation to liquidate its-war debt "in 'the future is by training the powers and the characters of- the young to the highest attainable) standard; and this cannot bo done if the building of schools is to cease. The position with regard "to the Wellington Technical School affords an apt illustration. The young people of this school, who ought to bo receiving in it tho training that would fit them for their work in life, are being deprived, and are still to be deprived of that which is due to them on their own behalf, and; necessary to them if as "producers" in the rioarfuture they are to "produce" to the extant that tho circumstances of the country demand. To _quote• once, more the now well-jvor!i saying, "The wealth of a nation does not consist in cash or paper, but.in the brains and bodies of the people,'' , The brains and bodies are developed in tho sohools, the Wellington Technical School among others; and it is for the''public to consider whether it is sound, economy l that saves the cash at the expense- of the brains and bodies. am. etc., H. A. PARKINSON, ■ vui a , Secretary, N, Z.E.I. 10th August. , ./..