EDUCATION IN BUSINESS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 105, 30 October 1931, Page 6

EDUCATION IN BUSINESS

"The Chambers of Commerce, as representing the mercantile interests, undoubtedly do ji great deal of good for the business community," but it is with disappointment that one notices how little attention these bodies apparently pay to the subject of education" (writes "Co-operation"). Eighty years ago John Bright denounced the London Chamber of Commerce for its narrowness of outlook, and our Chambers of Commerce in New Zealand leem pot to have taken heed. However, there is still time. In view of the recent newspaper controversy, mostly anonymous, taxpayers, business men, etc.—it becomes interesting to consider the opinions held about education by prominent business men in progressive countries. Recently, in the United States, men of high commercial standing have been expressing just the contrary viewpoint to that expressed by our 'Taxpayers' and our 'Business Men.'" The correspondent quotes one Mich viewpoint, and adds: "Any attempt to interfere with I the expenditure on our secondary schools, should be watched-with jealous eyes. For! the maintenance of equality of educational opportunity is the surest means of enabling us to rise superior to our present depressed condition, because it will make available for application to the, problems confronting us the pick of the best brains of the whole people. Every forward nation now recognises' this. ' England, France, Germany, Italy, Russia', tho United States, Japan, alt are endeavouring to extend the I benefits of secondary education, to an mii creasing circle of students from all classes 'of the community, for every,one of these nations has realised the disastrous effects lof restricting higher education to ~ one (favoured section. They have found.that sno'-bery does not pay; they have found i that it does not pay to endeavour^ by circumscribing higher education, within- a narrow area to retain all the bettef positions for the children of the rich and 1 influential."