HEADMASTER'S ADDRESS

Opunake Times, 1 August 1947, Page 1

HEADMASTER'S ADDRESS

HOME AND SCHOOL ASSN.

EDUCATION-ENVIRONMENT

The following address was delivered by Mr. F. J. McLaughlin, headmaster of the Opunake District High School at the meeting of the Home and School Association, held in the Drill Hall on Tuesday evening. "Very much depends on the kind of people we are, and nearly everything on the kind of people who will follow us. The youth of this country are not only important for the /future, thev are our future. Their preparation for life is thus of tremendous import for ourselves and for the nation. This preparation is mainly the duty of the Home and the School. We are gathered here tonight to discuss the cooperation of these two institutions for the provision of the material needs for the education of our girls and boys. In previous talks and discussions before this association you appear to have dealt fully with modern teaching practice and aims in both the Primary and Secondary grades. What I want to emphasize tonight is this — that the success of the, "new" education at both stages is largely dependent upon smaller classes, (accommodation), more liberal staffing, and the provision of material. Indeed any real success in true education is to a great extent bound up with the above. Unfortunately there has been a definite lag in meeting these ■material needs. It is true that many new schools have been erected and these are designed to meet the requirements of the ■present system, but it is too, a depressing discovery to find that the majority of our pupils are still taught under obsolete conditions. The -environment, too often hinders, rather than helps, many of our teachers and pupils, and could be likened to the effort of a 1920 radio to give an efficient broadcast of a modern studio recital.

Are you as parents satisfied ■with this? Do you believe that the proper education of the children is as important as we teachers do? Let me quote here the following extract from the speech of "the Hon. Geo. Tomlinson, Minister of Education in Britain, given recently at a Scarborough conference:—

' 'We all know that if the future generation does not make a better job of it than we have done there will be no future at all, either for their successors or for civilization as we have known it. Too often, in the past, education has been the first and easiest victim of a false economy—and again—l realize today, as never before, the importance of school environment. Is it not worth while to spend a bit of money seeing that the influences, that the environment is right. Never apologise for wanting good things for children. It is more important—and I realise that I am risking something now—to cater for children's tastes, child' reu's requirements, than for any other section" of the community. Many of us are past being influenced by any sort of atmosphere, but it is in the formative years of a child's life that there is laid the foundation upon which so much thinking will take place in after years." I am certain that, every person present here will agree with every .'word .of this. You accept it as a Truth, but what you don't realise-is* that the dissemination of a truth, its translation into practice is quite another matter. The people must not merely agree that the youth of the nation are its future. There must be ax kind of' faith and living beliei that leads to deeds. If this does riot exist among very many of our citizens of good intent, and especially among our politicians, then We shall blunder on as we have done in the past and our children will be the poorer for it.

Now, how can you as a community assist in.obtaining these material needs for your children's education-? I think all will agree that little is achieved today unless a strong and insistent body of organised opinion demands it. You must unite, you (Continued toot of next column)

must study and have some understanding of this problem of schooling and above all you must be prepared to make some sacrifice for the. common good of the coming generation. Then as an organized body you could tack the problem. We have to meet-- (1.) The problem of accommodation—You will be told that supplies and labour are limited and you must wait. How are you going to accept this? We see supplies pouring into, and labour being utilized, in other fields of industry? Are these more important than the children. Are the roads to be used, the factories to be worked in, more important than the people who will use the roads—the people who will work in the factories ? It's up to you. When you are told that school buildings must wait, will you accept this story, or say—" Yes we have heard this reason put forward for generations. Thank you gentlemen but we insist that the needs of the children must have priority. Wo want this, and this, and this—and we'll not let any circumstances alter our determination to get them." No Government dare stand in the way of an enlightened and determined people. (Concluded next issue)