Character

NZ Truth, Issue 935, 27 October 1923, Page 1

Character

Addressing the children at the opening of a Technical School the GovernorGeneral referred to the effect of education on the formation of character. "It was' character," ho said, "which made the. British race what it was today. It toas character which carried New\ Zealithd ' eoldlers to victory." All of which is quite true/ We may judge the' individual by; two standards: Firstly, according to his use as a man, and secondly, accbrdin* to his worth as a maji^ or r in the words according 1 to character. No matter how useful, how; brillian^ a man may be. he is i only worth/jwhat his character is worth. A man of talent alone may debase his talent; the. man of character will not. A powerful factor m' the formation of character is. having: a; distinct and definite object m .life. It is fatal always to, be. ah&alngitiheyt jobs, new, ocoupftilons/:to be hired frpm the long straight j road oY>3tea4y£ l wnpioynient j n to flowery by-waysV,tbi:t,ens< as unexpectedly as i they begin. Probably Viscount Jellicoe •had this, fact m mmd when he remarked; I'Teclmiea l ' education develops character even more than primary and necondary education." It was precisely this point among others which prompted' "Truth's" recent plea for the popularising of technical training. Technical - education successfully develops character because besides fostering a definite aim, it directs the thoughts of ypiith into ono steady channel. This lt\ immensely valuable! for m the evblutl'pn of character, thoughts produce desfres, desires actions, notions habits, and habits character. Making due allowance for love'a young dream- the thoughts of the young engineer at the technical school* anj of engineering, while tho thoughts of the young hopeful jtt the grammar school ore at sixoa and nevens. From thlß it will be seen Just now much chance, whim, and circumstance Influence youth. In bo grave a ' matter on the formation of character. A Btlll more serloua elide to th<3 interivttnic question is tho influence of national thought on the national character. Now the national character Is _a growth of oak-llko slowness. We 'ore young and have not evolved a national character, which explains why Ye have not n national literature. To understand the steel-like inflexibility of the mlpd and will of a nation we have only to revert to the Groat War. As an individual influences those about him by tho force of his character, so <Soeß a nation by tho chamctor of its people influence the states which surround it.