USE OF LEISURE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 154, 1 June 1937, Page 9

USE OF LEISURE

A MODERN CHALLENGE. BOTAItY CLUB FUNCTION. “Tell me how a man spends his leisure time and I will tell you what sort of man he is.” This, stated Air E. N. Hogben, principal of the Dannevirke High School, during on address to the Palmerston North Rotary Club last evening, was an old adage, but very true in its application. Taking I ae liis subject the challenge of leisure Air Hogben stated that it was a call to make it universal and use it wisely, so that it could be made a criterion to civilisation, and a touchstone to personal merit. Its chief challenge was to society to put its house i.n order and to man to l>e himself. Dean Inge had said that a man’s mind was dyed the colour of his leisure thoughts. Mr Hogbeti’s address was delivered at a dinner when twelve members of the Dannevirke Rotary Club were the guests of the Palmerston North Rotary Club. Air G. G. Priest presided and warmly welcomed the visitors, . commenting that the Dannevirke club| was one of the most enthusiastic in New Zealand, and he invested the Dannevirke club’s president, Air AV. Hulston, with the chairman’s chain of office for the evening. AGsitors welcomed were Afrssrs F. Vickerman (Wellington). R. E. Bary, T. Wilkinson and C. A. Small (Palmerston North).

THE AIECHANICAL AGE. Adult life was divided into three parts, said Air Hogben—biological, economic and leisure. Formerly, the last mentioned was the ornament of a privileged minority, and universal leisure was a modern idea. It was a commonplace of the. past few decades that they had marked the advent of the mechanised age, and that the efficiency and cheapness of production were decreasing the working day. During the last 30 years both the quantity and quality of “spare time” for all hand increased. So suddenly had tho change come, that, in spite of adjustments and temporary expedients, the community had not yet lieen able to adapt itself to the changed circumstances. The writing ivas on the wall that increased leisure was infiltrating through all industry. Just as the nineteenth century bad turned on production, said Air Hogben, so the twentieth • century would turn on leisure. The destiny of civilisation was dragging on without definite direction as to the correct use of leisure. Formerly a large London bank employed 311 men in one department, but, through the introduction of machines that work was now done by 85 girls. Another case was that of a llirge contracting firm which used to employ 7000 men. Now, with mechanised methods, it employed one mail each to control 35 machines, and some 37 labourers. Instances such as this could be multiplied. Compensatory employment utilised in manufacturing labour displacing machines did not represent a very large proportion. This leisure time was a challenge to modern civilisation —a challenge to every man and woman to have an adequate share and a challenge as to the manner of its use. AA r as leisure to be a blessing or a curse, a burden or an opportunity P It might have come as a shock to some to find that there- were already in New Zealand 5600 youths between the ages of 18 and 25 registered as unemployed.

AIUST BE “DEAIOCRATISED.” There was, continued Air Hogben, a tendency to consider leisure only in its relation to the industrial sphere. In its distribution, there was a difficulty in reconciling all the economic aspects, but this was not insurmountable. Leisure must be “democratised.” Leisure did not necessarily imply working fewer and fewer hours daily. An alternative was to take it in longer vacations, or something -analogous to a sabbatical year. Leisure, again, might lie concentrated at the periods of life when the obligation of earning a living should not be regarded as essential. It had been said that there would he work for all ill Europe if no one under the ago of 20 or over that of GO years were to he employed. Suggestions that extended recreational facilities would solve the problem of leisure showed a lack of realisation of its magnitude, added Mr Hogben. Though lie -realised the risk involved, ho would venture to suggest, on the lines of principle, how leisure might' be used. Correct use of leisure was one of the ino-st important things facing civilisation, because it held the key to so many other problems. Without seeking to advocate the regimentation of a mail’s life, said Air Hogben, one of the first uses to which leisure should be put should be the creation of physical fitness. It was important that they should be not only watchers, but players, of games.

RELEASE FROM ROUTINE. Secondly, leisure siiould be used for recreation and relaxation. Complete satisfaction was found by a fortunate few in their work, but others sought release from its routine and an outlet for their creative instincts. Listening to radio was a passive activity, while the cinema acted likewise. Their place was not the major one in life, though they performed very useful functions. Thirdly, leisure should be used for education, thinking of the latter in its widest terms as a continuous process. Most occupations were capable of increased efficiency, and some thought might be given to this in leisure hours. Furthermore, it was their duty to make themselves intelligent citizens, not ready to accept without question rcadyserved opinion, but prepared to counteract the aimlessness which was such a feature of modern thought in these days of massed minds, methods and organisation. This was necessary because the new citizen had to change his attitude a little, .and co-operate in public and private problems. He was in touch with a larger world, and had to develop a mind not personal and parochial in its interest, hut national and international in its thought. EVERY MAN A UNIT. Fourthly, continued Mr Ilogben, leisure could be used as a period in which to make one’s contribution of service to the community, with every man an effective-, unit in democracy. How many were fulfilling that requirement? Education had been rationalised in more enlightened times, and pupils were being prepared for the present world. He did not think that went far enough. They should be educated to take a competent place in the future world.

Appreciation of the address was voiced by Mr G. C. Hancox on behalf of the Palmerston North club. Musical items were contributed by Mrs K. Jones. Mr and Mrs H. Prince and an orchestra.