PROPAGANDA IN SCHOOLS

Otago Witness, Issue 3523, 20 September 1921, Page 23

PROPAGANDA IN SCHOOLS

MR PARII'S COMMENTS. (From Ocb Own Correspondent.) WKLI.INU J ON, :->pfc'niber 17. An arti-lc in tlie Clui-siciiurcii Pivss «>i prohibition propaganda in the public schools was bmiup'.t under the nonce of the Minister of Education (the lion. C. J. I’.ini today. ' i fear,’’ said Mr Parr, vrr.en asked if lie had any continents to make, "that there is a tendency at Clu-istchurch to confine two different things—tian.ely, she putling in the hands of teacher; literature which is clearly propae-nudist- in cliara.-tor and the seieniiiic teaching about the effect of alcohol on the hunum b by and mind. 'The first y; ion lias a bearing upon lee encyilupaulia juirnphlet which i have just seen. This was .rent to be; svhnnie without the knowledge or the con e nt of tee t!'ep.ailnient or of the edu.-ii i m heir U, with whom the matter largely rests, far ;•> the deparl'iient- is concerned, 1 wiVt to say at- once that it will not permit cither the Liquor Party or the Prohibition Party to Use the schools in this way. The use cf the Education Department s pamphlet- i n alcohol ,'n relation to the hunvan b-otty and mind stands on an - entirely different footing. This particular pamphlet was prepared, in 1919. and has been in the schools for some time. The .Prohibition Party had nothing whatever to do with it. It- was prep-aie-il by ibe C'tuef S; Wool Itedwal

Onieer, m consultation wrUi tne expert medical ofh; -rs of the Health Department, and it attempts to put in concise and scientific form instruction regarding the effects of alcohol that was contained in the syllabus as far back as 1801. It must not be forgotten that this teaching has been an essential part of the curriculum for the past 30 years. Indeed, many of us who are now well up in years have memories of Dr Richardson’s well-known text book, which was largely mod in the schools, and can remember the warn big diagrams of ulcerated stomach" and hobnailed livers that wore displayed on the classroom walls. 1 feel sure teat no one be ha even a moderate or a heavy drinker, will object to ids children being taught the seieniiiic truths in regard lo alcohol, and i am assured by the officers of the ib ,hli Department, praeliea’iy all of whom are- not proFiibitionists, th.n there is no sntiemee! in this pampiVw that is nor sclent ilk-ally M-im- l. Aiope; v, r. the Director of Education mils me that the r-a mphl- I reap -, .-els rut m conijena earn i fie nisi reel ion that .has been Irq ; . .-d by ;n, edue-ation Ihibus for ar, lea-t a quarter a i -rimy. The painjiliiet ha- ibe rprimat II r of the Ib-aiili Dei -a it m- it 'iron it. and -resumal-ly. ihis depai tmei.-t is quite ini] :■■■ rt id. Then fore, mlilit r. I ... shown to me that according lo im-deri; -eieil'-o it is iinaeouraie or mi.-haiding, l no neres-.-ii v for action on my part.’