A PROPHET OF HOPE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 15 August 1929, Page 8

A PROPHET OF HOPE.

Dlk .HENDERSON PRINGLE. Dr. W . Henderson Pringle, wlio .was for a- time p'rofe-ssor of ectmoiuiijcs .at Otago- University, and is now principal of liirinmgliain Commercial College, was one of the speakers at the British Advertising Convention, held at Newcastle last month, which -about 1000 members ait tended, in an address on ‘Education in Advertising,” Dr. Pringle said that, speaking. as an- educationist, who t struck him was Hie courageous-wav which advertisers had faced their diffi-

culties since -the war. They were incorrigible optimists and, did not belong to the tribe ql -gloom v deans, despair-

iiijj; e agonists, -and dcfeatiyt captaiin-s of modesty who were suggesting tJiat I mil was- over with British industry. | Nothing had made the task of odtulctational administration so difficult as the flow of -pessimistic talk. Young people were profoundly affected by the prevailing atmosphere, a.nd 'lie could. not hot attribute some of the responsrbii'lity lor the wi-cipspread tendency to seek soft jobs- and unadventurous careers to the plaintive melodies, a .H pitched in the nvinor key to which their ears bend been accustomed to the- last decade. Better be a junior officer in the industrial army shouting •‘Hallelujah” all day long than a general in high command who was always wailing out the most doleful version of the 22nd Psalm." Elver since the war British. industry had beet: doing what Luther warned Christian folk never to do; it had, been letting the Devil get aIL the -best tunes. Happily, advertisers were a more cheerful lot, and it was- they who were out, to discover new ■markets for British goods and to look hopefully towards the future, instead' of despairingly back j j to the past on sitting at ease in the j .present . Their principle was not I ‘‘safety first.,'” which sent men and sometimes parties, to seek shelter in, the rear. There was no safety except in being first. If advertisers could only infect- the industrial body with their spirit of optimism, both the psycho! logical and tiie. economic outlook of the country would be completely transformed.

Dr. Pringle gave an -account of the ■s-chenfe of education for the advertising profession which has recently been drawn up. The course has been so designed ais to- be achieved by students in four years’ work in evening classes. The course comprises advertising technique, literary, commercial and artistic;; English and! _ Ene’ish literature, psychology. both scientific and applied : advertising administration media-, market research and direct mail ladv-ertais*-ing. the sttudv of Hay-out and the general subjects of commercial arts reproduction .as well, a,s’ accountancy latnd economics.