PRIVILEGES OF TO-DAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17606, 23 October 1931, Page 4

PRIVILEGES OF TO-DAY

SECONDARY EDUCATION SCHOLARS’ DEBT TO SEDDON DOMINION’S GREAT ADVANTAGE The Director of Education, Air. T. 15. Strong, before terminating a brief visit to Gisborne to-day, took tlie opportunity to remind the pupils of the Gisbor.ie High School of the great debt they owed to the far-sighted administrators*of the past who had made free secondary education possible, and had given to the Dominion educational privileges which few other countries in the world enjoyed. Mr. Strong attended the school this morning, and addressed the pupils before the day’s studies commenced,, ehC'ouraging them to repay their debtAby playing the game and giving their btest services at school and alter. Mr. Strong mentioned that, although it was his first visit to Gisborne as Director of Education, the town was not altogether unknown to him, as many years ago he had been a teacher in the Gisborne Central School, the only school in the town at that time. Gisborne had grown greatly since then, and it was pleasing to see that the High School had shared in the prosperity of the place; it had developed from a seventeacher to a 17-teacher school, not counting part-time instructors and instructresses since. Air Foote took charge. That development in secondary education was common throughout the Dominion. New Zealand was one of the ,few countries in .the. world where secondary education right up to the door of the university was enjoyed free of cost. Admittedly the parents paid for the buildings .and the other costs of education, but in this country the expenditure came out of general taxation, and was not provided by local rating, so that in a sense it was more or less tree. ABSENCE OF CASTE “It is well to reflect who gave New ' Zealand the benefits of free secondary education,” continued the director. “It was one of our greatest prime ministers, Richard John Seel don, who rose from , the ranks, and whose very history indicates the possibilities of development, and whose life indicates what democracy will allow a boy to become. There is no caste system here • there are social distinctions,'but the wise ignore them, and you can break through every one. it is possible for every boy and girl, no matter what the financial position of the parents may be, to break through and rise from one level to another. I may lie speaking 1 now to one who may become Director of Education, Alihister of Education, or Prime Minister.” Such opportunities were opened up by the system of free secondary education* Such a system was lacking in the Old Country, where secondary education had to be paid for by the parents. A comparatively small percentage of those passing through the elementary schools of England received secondary education, but in New Zealand every pupil who secured a proficiency certificate was entitled to it. TAKING THINGS FOR GRANTED

“Boys and girls in this country," went on Air. Strong, “are apt to taka these privileges for granted. We are all inclined to take the beauties of this country for granted; we become used to them and to our privileges, and don’t notice them. One of the objects of my address is to remind you of what you owe to the far-Sightcd legislators: and administrators in the past who have enabled you to live the fullest possible life The free education of this country does not stop at the high school and technical school, for it is possible also to qualffy f or free university education. Unfortunately, it lias been necessary to curtail tnis privilege to some extent, but when the present period of depres, sion passes the advantages which ha VO been enjoyed up until this year will be open again, privileges which have been enjoyed by a good many pupils of this school. . . , “A good deal of this is the result of the regime of Richard John Seddon; Isn’t it, then, your duty to do your work at school in order to repay the country for that free gift. The way to repay it is to give good service, by doing your job with enthusiasm jtnd putting your whole heart- and soul inti? It. We" pride ourselves in this country on playing the game, and that does not refer only to the field of sport, but means also giving the full measure of service to our employers and those to whom we owe a duty. ENTHUSIASM FOR WORK . “Give your country in the future yottr best efforts. Without enthusiasm you won't get anywhere. There is an fcCr pression in the Bible about half-hearted workers—spineless people without tiny grit. What we want is young men a'tid women with plenty of enthusiasm fqij their work, whether in the home or out’ side— as much enthusiasm as you put into sport. In this world you won’t get anywhere unless you take a,' grip of things. There are people who affect; a kind of bored expression with regard,, JA their occupation; 1 have even met teachers like that, and I cannot understand how they cau get any joy out of their job without putting their whole heart and soul into it. During thii time of financial stress, when our staff has been reduced, 1 can assure you that the hours do not hang heavily on niy hands. "Wo get the greatest happiness out of life when our hours aro full, and every occupation provides opportunities for service. The prizes of life are those you can give yourselves. The best prize of all, whether you have passed your animations or have come top of thb class, is to know that you have run the race the best you could and h*v» given of your best to the teachers and the school. The boys and girls passing through this school are forming the traditions of the school—something imperishable.” A round of applause followed Air. Strong’s address, and the rector, Mi*. Frank Foote, remarked that he felt confident that after so inspiring a talk ,the work of the school would go forward on oiled wheels for the remainder of the year. V‘,