PHYSICAL CULTURE AND MILITARY DRILL. 353 



troducing the subject on this occasion. But I should Hke to 

 point out further that, in 'my opinion, practicaHy the same 

 resuhs could be attained without the elaborate organisation 

 and paraphernalia of the customary Cadet Corps. The main 

 objects are to develop the boys' physique, and in the course 

 of that development to teach him how to act as an intelligent 

 imit in a disciplined body. Also to instruct him in the care 

 and use of firearms and in the principles of rifle-shooting. To 

 attain these ends it is not absolutely necessary to introduce 

 any distinctive uniform or to go to the expense of organising 

 any special central authority. Each school could form an 

 independent unit though it might be advisable if two or more 

 units could meet periodicallv for a joint parade or shooting 

 competition. After they leave school would perhaps be the 

 best time to enrol the boys as regular cadets, uniformed and 

 organised as a branch of the local defence. 



In conclusion, let me say that I anticipate a certain amount 

 of opposition to the introduction of such a system; but I think 

 it will be found that the objections are chieflv against assumed 

 possibilities. 



It will probably be urged, for example, that the result would 

 be to introduce a spirit of militarism into the schools ; to make 

 the school boy an embryo soldier and a part of a machine from 

 which individuality is largely stamped out, and thus to violate 

 one of the first principles of modern educational ideals. Such 

 undesirable consequences do not appear to have followed the 

 adoption of the system in other lands. I have culled the fol- 

 lowing from the July number of the Educational Gazette for 

 South Australia. It is an extract from the speech of the Presi- 

 dent of South Australian Public School Teachers' Union: — 

 " Scarcely a week passes without a tribute from some head- 

 master to the good his cadet company has done for the school. 

 The teachers who have become officers (some 200) are a leaven 

 which has brought about a vigour and accuracy in drill which 

 was at one time rare and promises soon to be universal, and 

 the training in co-operation and competition of the cadets 

 themselves, as well as of the widening of their interests, shows 

 that as we are doing the work it is a real educational influence. 

 Watch our boys at the rifle ranges on Saturday mornings and 

 you will be forced to admit that a new purpose has entered 

 into the lives of many boys, who will later on think less of 

 lining the football ring than each one doing his little piece. 



" Give the cadet movement every help you can for you can 

 make it a valued servant of the school as well as an educa- 

 tional aid. We want more time for it." 



Similar testimony is borne by reports from other parts of 

 Australia and from New Zealand and Canada. I have no 

 definite information as to the general effect of the system in 

 Xatal, the Transvaal or the Cape, except from personal obser- 

 vation at shooting meetings throughout the country; but 

 ■from what I have seen I have little doubt that any representa- 

 tives from these colonies who may have interested 

 themselves in the movement will be able to show that it has 

 proved neither useless nor mischievous. 



