SCHOOLS AND THE PEOPLE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 12 May 1915, Page 4

SCHOOLS AND THE PEOPLE

HEADMASTER'S VIE^S. "There is a growirig'-fe'eling 'thAt the school ,is too much cutVoff frcjni the everyday life of the community/' said Mr. H. A. Parkinson, headmaster of Newtown "-wKen speaking ' on Monday night of the Education Act, and the provision for subsidising £ for £ donations towards ocnaol work. There was a growing feeling, he continued, that the school should bo made an integral part of everyday life. The school should bo the local centro of intellectual and social activity; a place where, not only wore children educated, but the young men and women -mot in their respective clubs, where farmors and citizens genei*ally met to discuss various questions. This development had been advocated. by the late Inspec-tor-General, and to his mind was a fine ideal. With the encouragement of donations and local effort »hy subsidy they i might make considerable advance* towards tho attainment of.this ideal. For instance, the new provision . brought within if not within the :range, of practical politics, the possibility of haying a swimming balh at the school, not, of course, for the use of, scholars •' exclusively.' " The school grounds' ifcight Ibe used as courts for local, tennis clupsi, or for drill grounds for the senior ••cadtets. This centralising of local activites InHho school was no now tiding. ~lt y;as, done in other parts of tho' world, and should be possible here., They might make the grounds very attractive at\N6w,town when an opportune time came 1 for*-hang-ing round the hat. The object of education was training for good citizenship, but a great many young people had very , lit tie interest taken in • them from';'; the tyme they left school till they became entitled to vote, when some of them were not very well fitted for tho" task. By extending the usefulness i of , tho school they would do something to benefit both, citizens and school. '. ; •' ,