Foxton

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6884, 13 April 1929, Page 3

Foxton

(From Our Own Correspondent.) LUNCH CLUB

Mr A. E. Sgott presided over the monthly meeting of the Lunch club on Thursday, when there were present Messrs C. AI. Howct-t, F. Raikes, Garbett, Giblett, Christie, R. Hornblow, S. Poole, W. Hcyes, J. Martin, G. Fraser, G. Smith, W. Bullard, Murray, Parkcs, Walton Edmondson, Nicholas, F. Alason and the secretary (Air Corn). Air F. A. Alason spoke on "The Child, the School and the Parent.” He g-ave a most interesting address and followed the child's career right from babyhood to the grown-up stage, classing its life into the stages of babyhood, kindergarten, stability, early adolescence and adolescence. The home and school, he said, played the most important parts in the child’s upbringing, and environment was everything. The schools of to-day Air Alason compared with those of the old days, when school was dreaded by the children. To-day they were only too eager to run away to school. This was chiefly because of the improvements effected in the schools and environs, and owing to the fact that children no longer feared the teacher. Teaching was on a different basis today. The child was not intimidated, but given individual study by the teacher and assistance on special lines ir necessary. Smaller classes were gone in for in order to give this individual treatment to each child, because in a class of 50 children there were different personalities to be studied, and possibly separate treatment had to be meted out to each. Mr Mason, referred to the medical inspection which now obtained in the schools, and said this all helped He teaeher and the child. Medical inspection often revealed some little abnormality which could quickly bo righted by the correct method, and the child was thus saved from some possible affliction in latqr life. Parents should at all times co-operate in every way with the teachers, in order that any knowledge that they might possess about the child could be passed Gn. Air Alason also addressed the employers present and urged them, when requiring an employee, to approach the school. He assured them that the best available child would be recommended for the position, and in this manner local talent would be availed of whenever possible. Reports of children he had recommended to loca* employers had been particularly favourable. A child’s career was a matter of grave'importance. The child when it left school had little or no idea of what it desired to be, and often the parents did not know and there was a great risk of mining his life by putting him to something for which he was not suited. The co-operation of the teachers and parents could again be put to great advantage in this respect, and he urged parents not to bo backward in approaching tho teacher on any matter of concern to tho child. At the conclusion of his address, Air Alason was accorded a vote of thanks on the motion of Air. G. Smith.