PATRIOTISM IN SCHOOLS

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 38, 13 August 1921, Page 5

PATRIOTISM IN SCHOOLS

THE WORK OF THE NAVY LEAGUE COMMENTS BY THE HON. 0. J. PARR. (BI TILIOBAPH. —SPBCIAL TO THE pb'&T.} •i v AUCKLAND, This Day. After unfurling a Union Jack, presented by the ,Navy League to the Newmarket School, the Minister of Education (the Hod 0. J. Parr) had some comments to make to the, large gathering present on the subject patriotism I, in schools. Mr. Parr said he hajd been [criticised in certain quarters for not keeping the Navy League out of the sohools. There were some foolish people who said it was wrong to encourage ideas about the British Navy in the mindB x of tlie children, but he took full responsibility for facilitating the league's ideas in reaching-the schools. Many people did; not realise what the nation owed to the Navy League, In his judgment, it was the nrfhienoe of the league's propaganda '' in Great Britain that was largely responsible for victory in the Great War. - The Navy League would have access to the school children of New Zealand, because he believed it possessed ability to acquaint the ,yotrog people of the country of the epic'of tie Navy and all that the Navy had) done ,for British freedom and justice/ in the last 400 or 500^y«ars. "I entirely agree with my friends and nedghbouis who long for the day when there shall be no war," said Mr. Parr, ' "anc^- 1 endorse the idea of the League of Nations." These things, however;" were not yet> and it was incumbent "in-the meantime to ensure the maintenance of the Empire's traditions by. relying on preparedness against foreign aggression. Though free from the German trouble, the world was not free from all trouble. There' wer© indications that the storm centre was shifting from one ocean to another, and there was danger of the gravest trouble arising, unless the greatest diplomatic care ■ was exercised. ".School children now salute the flag once a. week all over the country', concluded' the Minister, "and the teachers take the opportunity, I hope, of telling them what it stands for, and the lessons of Itistctry it teaches. On the whole, the British Empire stands for the finest idieals and justice the world has ever known." (Applause.) 7