TOPICS OF THE DAY

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21043, 21 February 1940, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY

Education For Democracy

“The challenge to democratic civilisation implies a challenge to democratic education,” said Dr. George Pratt Insh, in the course of his presidential address at the annual general meeting of the Educational Institute of Scotland. “On the nature of the reply to the challenge to democratic education depends ultimately the survival of democratic civilisation. For let us be under no misapprehension, unless those who are in our schools today are provided with the very best education possible, the critical, active intelligence of the individual citizen, that mental equipment which makes for success in the working of democratic institutions, cannot be looked for among those who will one day have to undertake the duties and the responsibilities of citizenship. Reform in education is the answer of our social and political faith. It is a stern assertion that we do not despair of our great social and cultural heritage. Do we realise that with any school subject—literature, say. or history—we can only, in the time at our disposal, and at the stage attained by our pupils—skirt the frontiers of a great province ? Do we so manage our approach as to stir in the minds of our pupils an eager desire to undertake independent exploration for themselves ? Dq we m&kg aoy effort to equip them for such exploration? -