EMPIRE STUDY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 86, 10 April 1924, Page 12

EMPIRE STUDY

SPECIAL COURSE FOR BRITISH CHILDREN :

CONDUCTED TOUR OF EXHIBITION.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

.LONDON, 7th February. Through the enterprise of the Department of. Overseas Trade and the Board of Education, boys and girls in the United Kingdom from the age cf 13 to 17. years in. every grade of school are to receive a special course of 'study in the history and geography'of the Empire. An Educational S^b-coinmittee has been set up, after conference with all classes of teachers, and representative bodies have produced a special programme for the. course. . The committee is also issuing a Weekly Bulletin-of'Em-piro Study. It is to contain the necessary lessons and notes for the teachers for each week's work, and copies arc to bo forwarded weekly to all schools *rhich aue falling in with the scheme. Ine conlplele course has been designed to extend over 24 weeks' school work, and the. bulletin, is to be issued each \yeek. until Jhe course is completed ■ .The Board of Education is also' sanctioning organised visits to tho 'Empire Exhibition of scholars under the guidance of their teachers. The Educational bub-committee of the main Interdepartmental Committee, which is organising the Government Section of the Exhibition, is making special arrangements to facilitate such" visits, and intends to organise a system of guides and lecturers at points of special interest Mr. S. M. Bruce (Prime Minister of Australia) contributes a message, to the nrst Bulletin of Empire Study "So long a 3 English children, are taught simply the history and geography of. England, he. writes,' "and Australian. Canadian, and South African children are taught_ simply the history and geography of their own countries :of domicile' we cannot expect any good foundation to be laid in the mind of the average man and woman of their ; day and generation for an. appreciation of" what the British Empire means- by. way of opportunity, not only to the race but also to each individual citizen

'."In these days,'when-we (see-the beginning of.a movement for:-,the migration o£ British boys, who-want to go overseas early in search of that full op-portunity,-which is denied them in the overcrowded Mother Country,, the proper teachint; of the history' and geoeraphy and general conditions of the British Dominions overseas is one more instance of the effort to provide better chances >for the ceming generation than were'enioyed in youth by many of their parents.'' .' J .