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Hokitika Guardian, 11 November 1936, Page 4

During the course of an address by Dr Dori:j M. Odium, specialist- on nervous diseases, given on “Educating the Emotins,” at the recent conierenco of the British Institute- of Adult Education, the keynote was the importance of “good form,” not only as a code for the public schools, but as a standard for the masses. Laying stress on the relationship between adolescence and emotional development, she observed that adolescence in Britain’s northern climate was a prolonged affair. It was a question whether the majority of people ever become adult, and, it might be said that different countries appeared to be at different stages of psychological -development. “Some, such as the Dictator States,”

Dr Odium continued, “have the char-

acteristics of small boys of about eleven years of age. The ‘gangster’ spirit, the secret society, the jingoism, the uniform, the saluting, the flag-waving the aggressiveness, and the exaltation of ‘force majeure’ as the highest value, with the consequent desire to keep women and girls in subjection—all those are typical of the boy of this age •and stage of development. England has been termed the most adult, of the naitons, and in her poise, her tolerance, her kindliness, she certainly deserves this tribute. On the other hand, the adult has the disadvantages ol being less plastic, less receptive of new ideas, lacking in initiative and intolerant of change all faults of our qualities to which we must perforce plead guilty.”