XN000022-1973-12-19 — Page 7

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Wednesday, December 19, 1973

SECONDARY PUPILS' AWARENESS OF COMMUNITY PROBLEMS

A very significant development in recent years has been the

increasing awareness of community problems and issues among secondary school

pupils, the Assistant Director of Education (Secondary), Mr. R.M. Cameron

said this evening.

College.

Mr. Cameron was speaking at the Speech Day of St. Mary's Canossian

The Assistant Director pointed out that many schools were already

participating in community service work even before the introduction of the

Anti-litter, Fight Crime and Road Safety Campaigns.

"The campaigns, of course, have brought about an even greater interest

in such activities," Mr. Cameron said.

This is a very healthy sign. It means that before they have to

enter the wider, adult community an increasing number of our young people

are involving themselves and becoming knowledgeable in the problems facing

our society.

"This is valuable preparation for the time when they themselves will

take their place in that society. They will not enter completely uninformed.

But Mr. Cameron felt it was even more important that before the

pupils enter this wider community they were given a chance "to play a part

within a self-contained social group, to express their opinion, to make

suggestions and have them turned down at times by the majority, to learn to

rub along with others without losing their individuality - in other words, to

learn the give and take of life."

Mr. Cameron

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