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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1976
YOUTH TOLD TO BE GOOD +CRAFTSMEN+
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THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY
THIS AFTERNOON TOLD THE YOUNG PEOPLE ATTENDING THE YOUTH CONGRESS OF HONG KONG THAT THEIR MAIN JOB FROM NOW ON WAS TO ESTABLISH THEMSELVES IN LIFE.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE CONGRESS ORGANISED BY THE ISLAND JAYCEES, MR. TOPLEY SAID: +IT'S ONLY WHEN YOU'VE ESTABLISHED YOURSELVES IN LIFE THAT YOU'VE REALLY GOT SOMETHING TO OFFER TO SOCIETY.
+AND THERE IS A LOT TO BE SAID FOR THE MAJORITY TO CONCENTRATE ON MAKING YOURSELVES, SO TO SPEAK, 'GOOD CRAFTSMEN'. SOMEONE WHO CAN ALWAYS BE RELIED ON TO DO A GOOD JOB IN WHATEVER FIELD OF LIFE ONE IS CALLED UPON TO PERFORM. +
HE ADVISED THEM TO USE THEIR EXPERIENCES TO SUGGEST HOW WORK IN OTHER FIELDS COULD BE BETTER ORGANISED AFTER THEY HAD LEARNT TO DO THINGS PRETTY WELL THEMSELVES.
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+ INDEED, HE ADDED, IN YOUR OWN CHOSEN PROFESSION YOU MAY FIND THAT THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS TO SEE THAT YOUR PROFESSION IS BETTER ORGANISED THAT IT WORKS TO HIGHER STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE AND GIVES A BETTER SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC.+
APART FROM LEARNING FROM THEIR EXPERIENCES AND LEARNING TO BE GOOD CRAFTSMEN, THE DIRECTOR ADVISED THE YOUNG PEOPLE NOT TO OVER-REACH THEMSELVES: +DON'T FOOL YOURSELVES THAT YOU CAN DO MORE THAN YOU ACTUALLY CAN.+
MR. TOPLEY ALSO TOLD THE PARTICIPANTS NOT TO FORGET PEOPLE WHO WERE LESS FORTUNATE
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ARE REALLY ABLE TO DO SO.+
+PREPARE YOURSELVES TO HELP THEM WHEN YOU
EARLIER, MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT IT WAS INEVITABLE THAT WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE REACHED THE STAGE OF THROWING OFF THE ROLE OF YOUTH AND TAKING ON THE ROLE OF AN ADULT, SOMETHING WAS LOST IN THE PROCESS AND AT THE TIME THE GAIN WAS NOT APPARENT.
THE ROAD TO ADULTHOOD WAS NOT GOING TO BE NECESSARILY AN EASY AND SMOOTH ONE.
*THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN ONE FEELS THAT ONE IS MAKING NO PROGRESS IN LIFE NO PROGRESS TOWARDS ONE'S GOALS. BUT THE YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS ARE IN MANY WAYS THE MOST VALUABLE ONES. IT IS FROM THAT EXPERIENCE THAT WE TRULY LEARN, HE SAID.
MR. TOPLEY BELIEVED THAT IT WAS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL FOR A YOUNG MAN TO HAVE SOME IDEALS IN LIFE AND TO HAVE A PICTURE OF HIS OWN ROLE IN THE WORLD. BUT HE CAUTIONED THAT IDEALS WERE TRICKY THINGS WHICH HAD TO BE PROVED IN ACTION OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
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