EUROPE TO-DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22835, 20 March 1936, Page 4

EUROPE TO-DAY

NEW ZEALANDER’S IMPRESSIONS •' . • If A SCHOOL TEACHER ABROAD ■ {■• Some exciting experiences in Europe and some interesting observations on current affairs in Russia and Germany were recounted to a Daily Times reporter yesterday by Mr Alfred C. Notman, M.A., Dip. Ed., who has just returned to Dunedin after spending 16 months as an exchange teacher under engagement to the London Education Authority, Mr Notman is an old boy of the Otago Boys’ High School and took his degree at the Otago University. While in London he gained a great deal of valuable experience in schools of all types in the metropolis. The authority at Home was generous in allowing special leave, said Mr Notman, and this, together with the regular vacations, enabled him to travel fairly extensively on the Continent, where he visited Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Germany, Finland, Poland, Denmark, Sweden and Russia. He was assisted by the High Commissioner for New Zealand to get in touch with prominent educationists In these countries and to visit some of the most important educational institutions. In Denmark and Sweden Mr Notman had little difficulty finding his way about, English being widely spoken. The former country had impressed him very much, its advanced social legislation being of considerable interest and the outstanding educational system providing an absorbing study. In the latter connection the folk high schools were unique. These were privately-owned institutions which were given State support, and their purpose was to provide a cultural course for the'young peasants of the country. During three months of the summer young women from 18 to 25 years of age attended, and young men took the course during five winter months.

Stockholm he found to be well named the “ Venice of the North,” and he was again vastly imposed, with this city. He formed the opinion that Sweden and Finland were probabiy -ijhe most prosperous countries'lu the' ’wbrld to-day. alia, Finland he first visited Abo, on the Baltic Sea, arriving there just as the ice was breaking up. Helsingfors he found to be a remarkable place, and probably the most, modern capital in Europe with its up-to-date buildings and streets. It provided a strong contrast with Russia, which, :he found, despite the years of reorganisation, to be still backward When compared with the Western countries.

All conversation in Russia had to be undertaken through an interpreter, and this constituted a considerable disadvantage. He had been in Leningrad and Moscow in the middle of winter with enow falling to a depth of two feet and temperatures below zero practically all the time. He had been very anxious to study Russia at first hand, and had been surprised to find that at this season of the year a comprehensive programme of building and street remodelling was being carried put in MosCpw.': Re had concluded from his observations' that Stalin was the man who mtfde'%Russia what it was to-day, . Referring to Russia’s efforts'.to become self-sufficient, Mr .Notman said that every effort was being made to develop the immense natural resources of the country and 10 years ,of peace would probably result in its becoming the most powerful country in the world. The people were very quiet and their outlook was definitely more Eastern than Western. They appeared to be well satisfied with the conditions obtaining,!-but as very few of them ever had the opportunity of travelling • they had no standard of comparison, i Education was being given the closest of attention by the powers in Russia. Dewey’s ideas and the Montessori principles were in use in the primary schools and the aim was to extend education to all from seven to 18 years of age. There were five children’s theatres in Moscow, and the greatest players of the day were required by the State to provide suitable plays for. the children, a . Mr Notman had an exciting experience when he was leaving Russia. He boarded the train, at Moscow at midnight and arrived at the Russian-Polish frontier at mid-day the next day. Here all passengers were advised not to leave the train, "which was placed under an armed guard. All baggage was Searched and particular attention given to written matter. ’ TJie guards decided to interrogate two Japanese diplomats who were travelling across Russia to the naval conference, and these unfortunates were brutally bundled into the station: The train was held up for four hours and a-half while the investigation was made, and during this period Mr Notman decided to get off the train and have a walk. As he jumped down, however, he heard a hoarse shout and saw one of the guards swing wildly at him with a revolver. He lost no time in getting aboard once more and completed the wait in the discomfort of the car.

The trains were described by Mr Notman ns exceptionally poor. The rolling stock was antiquated and the heating methods primitive in the extreme. Though the temperature was below zero most of the time, little effort was made to ensure the comfort of the passengers and travelling was less attractive there than anywhere else he had been. Mr Notman made two visits to Germany, and on the second occasion was particularly impressed with the advance in prosperity which was apparent in the 10 months which had elapsed since his first visit. He had not actually seen Hitler, but had formed the opinion from what he had heard that the Dictator was a neurotic, and a creature of passion and instinct rather than reason. Civil obedience had been brought about by force and it appeared that there was a slow upward pressure of dissatisfaction. Hitler’s lieutenants, Goering, Goebbels and Schacht, were not a happy team and it seemed there might be party disruption, in which case it was not unlikely that Hitler would follow the example of Mussolini and go to war.