CADET TRAINING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22866, 22 October 1937, Page 14

CADET TRAINING

value to the schools VIEWS OF OTAGO RECTOR CAPITATION GRANT SUGGESTED [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] DUNEDIN, Thursday The value of military training in the . creation of esprit de corps in secondary schools and in fostering qualities of leadership was emphasised in a letter from the rector of Otago Boys' High School, Mr. H. P. Kidson, which came before a meeting of the High Schools Board of Governors to-day. "It has been made clear to us that the specialist sections in the cadets are to be abolished," wrote Mr. Kidson. "This applies to the Lewis gun and artillery sections at the school. The discipline of a good cadet corps is a thing, I am convinced, of great benefit to the individuals in the corps. They learn to see the value of orderliness and of good organisation perhaps more quickly through the cadet corps than through other school activities. The drill itself, if done well, has a good effect, too. in smartening up a boy. I do not pretend that all boys love their drill, but they do take pride in it when it is done well, and N.C.O.'s do definitely see value in it for thetnselves, and are eager to gain and retain their rank. Moreover, a good school corps does tremendously help • in creating a good school esprit de ■ corps. ' "I would retain the military organisation, but direct the work more toward physical training and such things as ambulance work and first-aid, swimming and life-saving, elementary inap work and field sketching, signalling, elementary field engineering and plenty of musketrv, including much range work. I suggest that the board should make some recommendation to the Defence Department along these lines, ' that cadet corps should be encouraged to continue their work by the provision of instructors in such things as I have mentioned, and bv a capitation grant to enable material to bo purchased for the work." ' Jt was decided to support the attitude of the rector and to forward a copv of the letter to the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser.