1981 School Magazine

done some work in radio activity, it is unfortunate they could not see the relevance ofattending a so-called Geography lec- ture. Moreover, every Australian citizen bears a moral responsibility in an issue such as Uranium. I believe we fail to a certain degree in achieving the aims of our own school which are basically to provide a broad based liberal education. Although the incident I have related was isolated, it is depressing to see the large number of girls who lail to organise their time properly and, when deadlines are to be met, try to lind any excuse to be given an extension. Too many of our girls are on anti depressants and find it necessary to get support lrom different sections of the school communi- ty, particularly from our student counsellor. It is good that we can provide such support; it is bad that we often contribute to their need for it. Mrs. Lynch is always readily available and many of us owe much to her. Thank you, Mrs. Lynch. Many discussions have been held with various members of stall and I hope that, with our involvement as a phase 1 ROSBA school, we will be able to contribute to a far more worthwhile curriculum that is presently being taught in schools. There needs to be a rationalisation of what is going on and if we believe in the aims that we have set ourselves, then changes have to occur so that our young people - our most valuable resource - do not go into adult lile with negative attitudes towards learning and in particular towards society. Australia offers a great challenge to us all and ilwe fail tc provide our youth with the background to see this challenge, there is little hope for the future. M oreover, if seeing the challenge, they become depressed, or turn tail. and fail to rise to meet it, we have failed them, and if we limit our perspectives to our own still "lucky country", and lail to open the eyes ofyouth to the needs ofthe develop- ing world, we have again failed them. Let us strive to open windows lor them to glimpse the joys of wider learning, the beauties of the world, the support and richness of human relationships, and the reward of service to the community of all mankind.

ln 1919 this aim rvas supported by members of the select com- mittee into education in Queensland when they wrote the se- cond interim report. They stated that "education now, as in the past, must serve other purposes besides the preparation of our youth to enter the work force, important though this may be." The committee recognised "that rapid developments in our complex technological society have produced a demand for a more highly educated and skilled work force. This need has resulted, however, in increasing pressure on the limited time available for the primary and secondary education of our children. It has led some sections of our community to question the usefulness of social education and even to suggest that the time might more profitable be employed in purely vocational pursuits." This is deplored. I agree with the committee's statement and am very concern- ed at the noted increase in pressure on our youth, particularly at the year I I and I 2 level, when they not only have to face the reality of achieving a certain T. E. score ifthey are to enter the quota lor university or C.A.E.s, but are also at a time in their life when they are developing their own sense of identity and sense of personal worth.

Not long ago we had what I believe to be a sad example of how our students see only limited usefulness in extending themselves beyond narrow academic pursuits in case exten- sion jeopardises their results towards their tertiary entrance score. A guest speaker was arranged to talk to the girls on both sides olthe Uranium issue and all year 12 girls were ex- pected to attend. Because the talk had been arranged through the geography department, a large number of girls not study- ing geography thought they could use it as an excuse to catch up on work in other subjects, and so in one science-oriented group, some 34 girls were absent on the day when the speaker arrived. All the girls were contacted at home and, with f'ew ex- eptions, the excuses were pitiful to hear. But after lunch when other lessons resumed, a large proportion ol the girls turned up lor school. Considering that the girls studying Biology had just been dealing with the influence of radiation on lifle, and the fact that there was a group in Chemistry who had recently