“SCHOOLMASTERS FAIL”

Southland Times, Issue 21264, 10 December 1930, Page 7

“SCHOOLMASTERS FAIL”

EFFORTS TO TRAIN CHILDREN. VIEWS OF SYDNEY PRINCIPAL. (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) Sydney, December 9, Speaking at the Scots College prizegiving ceremony the principal, Mr J. Bee, declared that schoolmasters hud lamentably failed in their efforts to train the children passing through their hands. “We boast that New South Wales has an education system equal to any in the world, yet to a large extent the scholars turned out appear incapable of thinking for themselves,” he said. I don’t often touch upon matters outside school life, but one cannot look upon the events of recent years without realizing to some extent that democracy appears to have failed. Workers have extensive machinery for settling disputes, yet when some grievance, real or imaginary, arises they obey an outside adviser and strike. They seem unable to grasp the fact that the immense loss of wages cannot be made up. They also seem to be carried away by the promises of politicians who know that they are incapable of fulfilment. These things make mo feel that schoolmasters have failed.”

Mr James Bee was born at Oamaru, and was educated at Otago University and Victoria College. He was science and mathematical master at Wellington College, and for 18 years was headmaster of the Presbyterian Ladies’ College. He has been principal of Scots College since 1914.