THE BOOKSHELF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21159, 16 April 1932, Page 9 (Supplement)

THE BOOKSHELF.

ENGLISH PUBLIC SCHOOLS

WEAKNESSES AND REFORM. * If there is one thing more than another for which the English public school man • known all over the world it is his Philistinism and lack of culture. Defenders of tho system suggest that this may dually lic :m advantage, since it enables the schools to concentrate on the more practical things of life, such as a good batting sfy'e and a capacity for a crude jjjnd of organisation . . . Intellectual integrity, freedom from prejudice, sensitiveness to beauty, moral courage, aro things which it would be foolish for any boy to hope to learn at a public school." One rnuld so on quoting, but enough has been c iven to show that Mr. L. 11. Pekin, the author of •' Public Schools, Their Failure, and Their Reform," is a severe critic of the present system, lie is, of course, on controversial ground, but as lie is himself teacher with a wide experience of tho ] ar ger public schools bis book is one that will command attention, alike from those ,vho are disposed to agree with him and those who are at variance with his views. The most difficult thing the reformers have 10 face, according to Mr. Pekin, is that the English take a pride in their failings; they admire the lack of imagi- \ nation which allows them to stand imI movable 111 tho' face of adversity, overcoming by negative means. They distrust brilliance and cleverness, and feci warm towards a comfortable mediocrity, and aim at an insensitive robotocracy. Mr. Pekin asserts that public school education ■in England leaves a boy quite untrained to think. "Tho average boy," he says, I "travels in communised trams along com* munised roads lit by communised light and enjoys all tho amenities of comm'Juised property in his town —and remains the whole time under the impression that communism is a tiling which nobody bat those fools of Soviets would ever dream of trying." Many of the arguments and themes iri Mr. Pekin's book may b 0 held to apply equally to the world at large as to the schools. His chapter on punishment concerning which there will bo divided opinions, should interest the magistrates. He does not believe in punishment. which is retributive or deterrent. Reformative punishment, or the treatment j of wrongdoing a s a mental failing, is the only method which appeals to him. Yes, but' lie pre supposes that every teacher is an artist in his profession. Most peoplo will agree with Mr. Pekin that instead of fagging to save a senior Lev chores it would be preferable that everybody throughout his school days should perform some humble tasks for the common weal. He is not equally convincing in his desire to abolish prefects. He has much to sav about games and athletics and has a* valuable and instructive chapter on cultural and spiritual life, which, he says, is lacking in the present svstem- Any book about public schools which omitted sex would he incomplete. It is sufficient to say that Mr. Pekin faces tho question frankly and courageously, statins his facts, opinions and conclusions without ambiguity, and ending with a strong plea for co-education as the solution of many problems. In his chapter on personal freedom Mr. Pekin reveals his weakness. Like nearly aft reformers be formulates a theory of perfection and regards bis problem as wived, unmindful of the fact that all rules and laws came into being because of the 'breakdown of attempts at perfection, 'lhe classics have a friend in Mr. Pekin, who nevertheless agrees with those who hold that this ornamental education is an excessive price to pay for the lack of a scientific find intellectual education which I he feels it of necessity ousts. Because I there was much that was admirable in the I public school system 200 years ago, Mr- | Pekin says he 'sees no reason why it 1 hbould not bo ypossible of reform to-day. i His attitude throughout may be sumI marised in a final quotation: Howevei J many battles may " have been won on 1 Eton's playing fields, it is not. impossible | that civilisation will be lost in its class--1 grooms," | 'Tublic Schools, Their Failure and Their Heform," by L. B. Pekin. (Hogarth Press.)

THE MINER AND HIS LOT. A POWERFUL BOOK. " Miner " ran through its first edition 'n five days. It is less a novel than .1 living narrative of the life of a Welsh miner. Its author is Mr. F. ( . Bodcn, who has alreadv achieved prominence by his " Pithead Poems.'' Himself a miner from tho ago of thirteen, he worked by night and spent his days reading poetry and philosophy and writing poetry. How great was the urge .which drove him is seen in this bopk now published, for it is one of the most beautiful and poignant books which has appeared for a longtime. The author graphically describes the lot of colliers who work underground, far from air, light and sunshine, sometimes in burrows of discomfort and danger. 'lheir lives are constantly in jeopardy, and they sre denied all the heroic trappings which the world accords to Jess worthy callings.

In spito of its hardships, life still remains sweet to Mr. Boden. Most of his miners are decent, likeable fellows, with bonds of kindliness and humanity strong among themselves. Cunningly, he intersperses his pathetic scenes of mine life wiih simple lit tic glimpses of warm happiness—a perfect, romantic love scene, or a H'lict glimpse of domestic peace. Here, where mop aio nnt drones, there is a necessary and proper force in life, yet not forrnenting and riding the mind to the loss of all proper perspective. All interested in industrial systems, including ca pitalists, labour leaders and legislators, should find the. book worth reading. Miner," by F. (J. Boden. (Dent).

A NEW ZEALAND DRAMATIST. THE PRICE OF TRUTH. Aew Zealand writers are gradually putting out feelers in the direction of playWriting, inodesi feelers for the niogt part, a s is becoming. A little, one-act play, called attractively " Jesting Pilate," by Brian Edwards, which is announced to be pseudonym of a graduate of the University of Sew Zealand, shows distinctly fiieater promise than most of its kind. Its author clearly knows how to handle a dramatic situation, he has a real theatre ® en se. Iherts ig. some awkwardness in givthe characteis explanatory speeches ad"lesied to the audience, but there is in a B »,ort space considerable dramatic power, "it'll easily holds the interest. The play ls fortunately free from that obvious local colour, which most Dominion writers confer necesiarv. There are no pohutun? Was . rjr sheep, or greenstone meres, "e theme is the price to be paid for '"th, technical truth; truth, no matter 1 10 is sacrificed. A weakness in the P®}' is that v/licreas Ihe two falsehoods y"'ch the father punishes are told to , Je .nefit the tellers, bis own contrasting ysehood is told purely for the benefit his Hon. 'Thus the problem is left was found. Playwrights who ish to see their plays performed would >c well advised to make, the number of finale characters preponderate. }> .^ es tinß 'Pilate," a drama in one act, by Wit , Edwards. (Hutcheson, Bowman Johnson.)