"GOING TO WASTE"

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19131, 28 September 1936, Page 13

"GOING TO WASTE"

EDUCATION OF MAORIS TEACHER'S FEARS The nine .Maori secondary schools have a .roll number of 342, or one-half of 1 per cent of the -Maori population, said Air. P. Smyth, lecturing before the anthropology section of the Auckland Institute. In his opinion, a very profitable and interesting scheme would be to select a group of adolescents and educate them till the age of 21. "The present system," he said, "results in a lack of .self-confidence mid originality j the product is content to follow, not to command. Self-confidence should be given by a promise that effort will result in reaching the top rung ol the ladder.'' During more than a quarter of a century as a, teacher, the lecturer said, he has encountered all types and feels that there, is wonderful material going to waste for want of more sympathy, interest anrl assistance. One could not help but love the courtesy and helpful instincts of the .Maori boy, his sunny nature and keen sense of humour —and his devilry! He was just like the European lad, but not so sophisticated, 11 leadership were developed there would be no "mob psychology," blind following of this or that, political or religious fanatic.

Maori secondary schools, sponsored by the Government, wire advocated by -Mr. Smyth—high and technical schools, or a .Maori division of the present high schools. Maoris should not all be made into farmers. A race with only one purSuit would be a decadent one.