THE New Zealand Herald AMD DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1930. YOUTH AND THE LEAGUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20722, 15 November 1930, Page 10

THE New Zealand Herald AMD DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1930. YOUTH AND THE LEAGUE.

It must be confessed that, after ten years of strenuous work, the aims and methods of the League of Nations are not as widely understood, by the rank and file of the peoples composing it, as they should be. This fact was the burden of several public utterances in the Dominion in the week just ending, the week that has included Armistice Day, with its echoes of war and hopes of enduring peace. It is not altogether surprising that such a confession should be made in this country, so far from the pivotal centre of . the League's activities. Distance is a reason as well as an excuse. As a similar confession, however, has been made in some European countries and in the League Assembly itself, it is unlikely that distance is a determining factor in any noticeable lack of popular knowledge and interest. The explanation probably lies in the unobtrusive way in which the League usually does its work, year' in and year out, in contrast to the flourish of trumpets with which special efforts to promote international peace and co-operation are heralded. These have been noted and discussed by virtue of their spectacular arising; the League has been taken for what it is, a quiet and continuous means of guiding the co-operative intercourse of nations, and as such is given no particular heed. Yet it must be admitted that this makes all the more imperative some sort of campaign of regular instruction in the doings of the League, remembering that on popular understanding and support its effectiveness crucially depends. This view has telling emphasis iri a report published a few weeks ago by a League committee appointed to consider " the instruction of youth in the aims of the League." It is rightly assumed that there is a necessity for this instruction. The generation that knew the horrors and learned the lessons of the war is gradually giving place to anothei, knowing little at first hand of these things. "When the second decade of the League's existence is completed, that succeeding generation will have come to dominant influence. What it thinks will decide national policy in relation to international intercourse. To give it, in its youth, ample opportunity and encouragement to interest itself intelligently in this subject is, therefore, a duty to be performed by the seniors of to-day. This work is being done to a considerable extent. The League, for several years, has devoted attention to it: the report to which reference is now made follows a lead given by statesmen and educationists long ago. A place has been made in many a school curriculum for this subject. Methods have varied in different countries. In some, it has been incorporated in the syllabus of history and civics ; in others, it has been restrved for special, occasional tuition ; in all, there has been some auxiliary instruction, apart from the schools, given and received voluntarily under the direction of the League of Nations Union and kindred bodies. But the fact remains, and of it the report recently issued takes account, that there is need for more specific education in the subject than has been customarily imparted. This need has been brought to the practical notice of the League's secretariat, which reports that it receives frequent requests for suggestions of methods to be adopted with a view to " making the idea of international understanding part of the natural .training of children." The secretariat consequently began last year to publish an " educational survey," which appears in January and July, and contains articles from various countries describing what has been done to give children information about other countries and about the activities of the League. Teachers and others may count on there being abundant material for the required instruction. In addition to the material circulated by the League of Nations Union and this " educational survey" issued at Geneva, a special pamphlet has been prepared by a small League committee of educationists, this being designed as a basis for instruction in schools and teachers' training colleges. It is entitled

" Aims and Organisation of the League," and some thirty Governments are having it translated into their languages for this use. Most of the literature sent out by the secretariat is too technical for this special purpose, being necessarily intended for the enlightenment of publicists on details of the work of the League. In the report now issued certain practical means are suggested of developing instructional work: oral lessons, written notes, maps, charts, cinema films, fetes, pageants, courses in vacation camps of teachers, and so on. Especially is it urged, as a way of supplementing lessons in patriotism, that effort should be systematically made to awaken children's interest in foreign peoples, by means of articles in juvenile magazines, printed translations of national folktales, and sympathetic stories of life in other countries. The use of radio broadcasting is also commended. Altogether, an excellent

scheme of work has been suggested. It remains for authorities and teachers to employ wisely all available means, that the rising generation may be prepared to carry on the educative task that the League and the LTnion have begun.