XN000022-1980-06-01 — Page 4

SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 1980

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SOCIAL STUDIES DESERVE GREATER EMPHASIS

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THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR KENNETH TOPLEY, TODAY CALLED UPON SCHOOL HEADS TO TAKE THE SUBJECT OF SOCIAL STUDIES SERIOUSLY.

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE SHENG KUNG HUS TRINITY CHURCH SECONDARY SCHOOL AT 01 MAN ESTATE IN HOʻMAN TIN, KOWLOON.

SOCIAL STUDIES, HE SAID, WAS NOT AN EASY SUBJECT TO DEVELOP IN A RESPONSIBLE BUT CLEAR MANNER BUT THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WAS MAKING AN EFFORT TO CREATE A SYLLABUS FOR FORMS IV AND V WHICH WOULD BE CHALLENGING AND HAVE INTELLECTUAL BITE AND WHICH WOULD AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH A GENUINE PREPARATION FOR LIFE,

+IT IS BASICALLY A SUBJECT ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS, ABOUT COMMUNICATION, BUT IT MUST AT SOME STAGE GRAPPLE THE PROBLEMS OF HUMAN PERSONALITY. THIS IS PERHAPS THE HARDEST PART OF ALL,+ MR TOPLEY SAID.

WHAT IT MUST NOT BECOME, HE SAID, IS A LIST OF THE RAILWAY STATIONS ON THE WAY TO LO WU.

+OUR CHILDREN DESERVE A LOT BETTER THAN THAT. THEY DESERVE THE BEST POSSIBLE AID TO ENABLE THEM TO THINK ABOUT AND PERCEIVE INTELLIGENTLY THE OTHERWISE CONFUSING WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE,+ HE SAID.

THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT THE OPENING OF THE NEW SCHOOL WAS YET ANOTHER MARK OF THE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTION THE SHENG KUNG HUT HAD MADE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION IN HONG KONG.

HE ALSO PRAISED THE PARISH COUNCIL OF THE HOLY TRINITY CHURCH AND THE SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE FOR THEIR EARNEST DEDICATION AND UNFLAGGING ENTHUSIASM FOR THIS SCHOOL PROJECT.

INDUSTRIAL SAFETY CAN BE FUN

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A CONSTRUCTION WORKER WAS HIT ON THE HEAD BY A FALLING HAMMER AND A FACTORY OWNER YELLED AT HIS ACCOUNTANT BECAUSE OF RISING MEDICAL BILLS BUT EVERYBODY WAS LAUGHING AT THE END OF THE DAY.

WHY? WELL THE CONSTRUCTION WORKER WAS WEARING HIS SAFETY HELMET AND THE FACTORY BOSS INSTALLED SAFETY GUARDS ON ALL MACHINES TO SAVE HIS WORKERS FROM SUFFERING AND CUT HIS MEDICAL EXPENSES.

AND ANYWAY, ALL PLAYERS IN THESE SOMETIMES ALL TOO REAL DRAMA SITUATIONS WERE PUPPETS TAKING PART IN SHOWS AT HOUSING ESTATES TO GET THE INDUSTRIAL SAFETY MESSAGE ACROSS FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT.

ORGANISED BY THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES, THE SHOWS ARE PART OF THE PUBLICITY PROGRAMMES ON VARIOUS THEMES PRESENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT'S MOBILE STREET THEATRE AND FILM VAN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

/A SPOKESMAN