DEMILITARISING SCHOOL CADETS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 157, 19 June 1912, Page 5

DEMILITARISING SCHOOL CADETS.

THE HON. J. A. HANAN INTERVIEWED.

[by telegraph—special.]

(Own Correspondent/.

Wellington, June 19.

As Minister for Education, the Hon. J. A. Hanan hopes to see a change in the constitution of the junior or school cadets —the soldiers of twelve to fourteen years.

In a conversation with a representative of the ‘‘Post.” the Minister gave his own opinion re the changes which he believed to be desirable for the sake of the boys, the teachers, and the general public. He says frankly that he would like to see the junior corps demilitarised. He believes the lads will have time enough to learn an elaborate military ritual when senior cadets and territorials, therefore when the clock of time strikes twelve for them he does not wish to see them belted, pouched, sworded and trained in complicated manoeuvres. He wants no pomp or. show ceremonial, no uncivil use of children and their teachers. He declares that he wants common sense, physical culture and simple company or squad drill without arms. His idea is to have this exercise in conjunction with the scheme of medical inspection. The physique of the children will be systematically noted, and suitable exercises to cure a defect will be prescribed. There will be a little training on military lines, enough to gve them an appetite foi more later on, not more than enough, inducing them to desire less when the time for serious training arrives. He wants the work at school, in the class room and in the open, to be of a kind to put health into the body and mind. He wants character formation to go along with ordinary sound mental and physical development. Mr. Hanan favours the retention of a simple serviceable unform, of which about 20,000 sets are now in use, and his vote goes for a course of shooting in miniature ranges. He also thinks it will be beneficial to continue the open-air scout work, but he is against military frills and flounces for lads of tender years.

He is to get a report from Lieut.Gencral Sr Robert Baden-Powell on the whole subject of boy culture in the social scheme of citizen making. The Minister understands that scouting is compulsory for boys of the Swedish primary schools, and in Switzerland free gymnastic exercises are obligatory. In that little country teachers do not gain promotion till they qualify as instructors in physical culture. Mr. Hanan does not propose any such drastic mandate here, but he hopes to encourage the teachers to become competent guides in gymnastics. He suggests that classes for training teachers in this department could be subsidised by the Government, and in the meantime experts in physical culture could make a beginning under the new regime. If the Government decides that a change is desirable, his desire is to retain the cadets under the Department of Education. This proposal for the “demilitarising” of the school cadets fits in with the wishes of a great number of teachers who have recorded protests against an alleged undue tendency on the part of some enthusiasts. to turn small boys into little soldiers.

Very caustic comment has been passed on ceremonial parades, which have been condemned by teachers as a grievous nuisance. They have said that they welcome sane physical training as not likely to upset the minds of growing boys, but they see no good in a rigorous compound military system for little fellows in knickerbockers.

If Cabinet sees eye to eye with him, Mr. Hanan expects to have a uniform system of physical culture at every school throughout NewZealand. He mentions as one aid a very useful handbook for teachers issued for the London schools. This book has been lately used in Australia, and Mr. Hanan hopes to get a supply for New Zealand.