HANDWORK CLASSES.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 4, 10 November 1916, Page 3

HANDWORK CLASSES.

(TO THE EDITOR.) Huntly, 6th Nov., 1916. Sir, —Some time ago tli9 columns of your paper provided the means for an agitation for a High School, and, thanks to the energy of a few of our townsmen, the High School will, in all probability, be a reality ere many months have passed. But there is another cause connected with the welfare of the young which is really more important than the High School, for it affects a great many more pupils—and that is the establishment of handwork classes in connection with the public School. That technical education has been sorely neglected in the past is universally admitted. Foreign countries have far outstripped us in this branch of education with results that are known to all. The only obstacle now preventing the establishment of handwork classes is the lack of a paltry £SO, which this town is asked to raise, and which with subsidies from the Education Board and Education Department is required to erect and equip a suitable building. Some may argue that it is the duty of the State to foot every bill connected with primary education. Well, it can safely be said that if we are going to wait for the State to help us, we shall probably wait for ever. Waiting for the other fellow never yet led to progress. Other towns ino larger than, ours have raised three or four times the amount we are • sked to contribute. Moreover, technical classes are never established without local assistance. There are, just now, many calls on our purses on account of the crisis in Europe, but I think no call is more pressing than this. Education leads to efficiency and I venture to assert that, had Britain been in every respect more efficient, there would, at Uie present moment, be no crisis In making this appeal I may add that I have no axe to grind. I am actuated by no motive other than the welfare of the young and the ultimate resultant progress of our country. F. W.' GARLAND. Public School, 7/11/16.