WELFARE OF YOUTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18235, 31 October 1922, Page 3

WELFARE OF YOUTH.

Sir,—The Welfare of Youth Conference is to bo commended for its attempt to deal with one of the most urgent problems of ; our civic and national life The report in the Herald of Saturday is suggestive, to all who have responsibility for directing young life. A wrong impression, how- \ ever, would be conveyed, unintentionally: tlo doubt, by the bald statement that the Church and Sunday-school have made no attempt to gitido youth in the choice of vocation. Probably what is meant is simply that the Church has not organised any- mechanical scheme or psychological i tes£ to discover a boy's aptitude for ai j particular trade or profession, and on that j point may well be difference of opinion as to whether such a duty is the direct responsibility of the Church. The Church makes its best edntsibutipn to the problem by inculcating a spirit of un- ~ selfishness and an ideal of service. One I bundled and fiftyjhousand boys and girls | in this country are feeling the pressure ! of the personal influence of a volunteer 'staff of teachers week by week in this direction. The lessoi course of the Sun-day-school and (he of the Bible classes reveal a constant vocational emphasis; at Bible class Easter camps the vision of their life-work comes to hundreds of boys; and multitudes of ministers, Bible class leaders and Sunday-school teachers are the trusted confidants of their young people when they are inquiring th«ir way. The commission, reporting to tho Welfare Conference, will do well to romember\On | the one hand thar, this personal influence is one of tho mightiest fectars for vocational guidance, and on the other hand that it cannot be measured and, scheduled for reporting purposes. Yet the Church * ' can and ought to do better, /and will doubtless welcome constructive suggestion* from the conference. E. P. Blamires. Devonport, October -30, 1923, ; -/