XN000022-1977-12-07 — Page 29

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1977

27

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION URGES MORE PLAY AND

RECREATION FOR STUDENTS

*****

AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. ARTHUR BROWN, TODAY CALLED FOR GREATER ATTENTION TO PLAY OR LEISURE ACTIVITIES FOR DEVELOPING A BALANCED PERSONALITY WHEN HE ADDRESSED STUDENTS TEACHERS, AND PARENTS AT THE JOINT GRADUATION CEREMONY OF THE LOK SIN TONG SCHOOLS.

+I REALLY BELIEVE THAT MOST PEOPLE IN HONG KONG DON'T GET ENOUGH PLAY, AND WHILE I CAN SEE WHY THIS HAPPENS FOR BUSY ADULTS, THERE IS NO EXCUSE IN THE CASE OF THE YOUNG, HE SAID.

+WE ALL NEED TO DEVELOP A BALANCED PERSONALITY, HE STRESSED, +THE ABILITY TO RELAX, DETERMINATION, AND THE QUALITY OF LEADERSHIP, THESE QUALITIES ARE ALL HELPED IN DEVELOPMENT BY THE WAY WE SPEND OUR LEISURE, IN OTHER WORDS, OUR PLAY OR RECREATION.+

HOWEVER, MR. BROWN POINTED OUT, THIS DID NOT MEAN HARD WORK WAS UNDESIRABLE. TO ENJOY PLAYING, YOU HAVE TO EARN IT BY WORK ING HARD, HE SAID.

HE THOUGHT THAT BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS HERE POSSESSED THAT ABILITY TO WORK HARD, AND BECAUSE OF IT HONG KONG WAS IN SUCH A GOOD POSITION TODAY, TO COMPETE IN TRADE WITH MUCH LARGER NATIONS WITH FAR GREATER RESOURCES.

+WHAT IS NEEDED AS WELL, IS ACTIVE PLAY OR ACTIVE RECREATION, + HE CONTINUED. TO LEAD A REALLY WELL-BALANCED LIFE, WHATEVER OUR AGE, WE NEED TO WORK HARD, PLAY HARD IN REALLY ACTIVE ACTIVITIES AND ALSO SAVE A LITTLE TIME FOR THE MORE PASSIVE RELAXING PLEASURES OF T. V. OR A BOOK, OR SOME MUSIC TO LISTEN TO.+

THE MOST OBVIOUS THING FOR STUDENTS, HE SAID, WAS TO JOIN A SCHOOL SOCIETY WHICH WOULD HELP THEM TO DEVELOP A HOBBY OR THE NEW COMMUNITY YOUTH CLUB GROUPS WHICH WOULD PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOTS OF INTERESTING ACTIVITIES.

MR. BROWN TOLD TEACHERS NOT TO GIVE CHILDREN TOO MUCH HOMEWORK.

+MOST CHILDREN ARE LEARNING TOO MUCH AT SCHOOL ANYWAY, SO THERE REALLY IS NO NEED FOR TOO MUCH HOMEWORK AND IT REALLY DOES DO THE CHILD HARM. +

ADDRESSING HIMSELF TO PARENTS, MR. BROWN SAID: +PLEASE DO WHAT YOU CAN TO MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT YOUR CHILDREN GET SOME TIME TO THEMSELVES TO ENJOY THEMSELVES, IT WILL PAY GREAT DIVIDENDS IN LATER LIFE. TRY TO GET THEM, DURING THAT TIME, TO DO SOMETHING ACTIVE AND ENJOYABLE, AND DON'T MAKE TOO MUCH FUSS OVER THE IR HOMEWORK, IF THEY SEEM TO FINISH IT TOO QUICKLY.+

}

HOMEWORK, HE SAID, SHOULD NOT TAKE MORE THAN A COUPLE OF HOURS.

IN CONCLUSION, MR. BROWN EXHURTED TEACHERS AND PARENTS TO HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND TO TAKE AN INTEREST IN WHAT CHILDREN DO IN THEIR LEISURE HOURS AT HOME.

/28