Education.

Perhaps in all our concern about the reconstruction of the nations no one subject is occupying the mind of our people more than education. A Special Commission has been sitting in England dealing with the education of the adult, and we have special organisations helping our soldiers to obtain a higher and better knowledge. Why this sudden outburst of educational fervour? Is it not that the people have realised that without education civilisation cannot go forward? It is the road to efficiency. The old proverb is true: Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it. The young must be trained to civic life and to have a civic conscience, so that there may be civic peace and efficient citizens. Would it not

make for both these aims if all our youths were trained in one school? Differences of creed, of points of view, will arise, but should not the children all meet together in one school so that they may thoroughly realise that they are members of one family? If their parents desire to teach them their theology, give them every opportunity to do so—that is required where freedom reigns. But why could not this special teaching be given in special classrooms by teachers of religion? All the children—whatever wealth their parents possess and whatever work their parents may do—should meet together and attend the one school. There are many things that make for division amongst us, but surely we may train and teach our children without the aid of denominational schools. These do not, surely, make for either civic peace or brotherhood.