Branch Activities
| DOI | 10.1177/026455054700500708 |
| Date | 01 January 1947 |
| Published date | 01 January 1947 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
91
BRANCH ACTIVITIES
or desirous of undertaking what is a highly-skilled duty.
He felt too, that in maintaining a high ideal of marriage,
both the press and the films might greatly improve on the
EAST LANCASHIRE AND DISTRICT BRANCH
notions about married life often put across to their
public; they had both such a large social. importance
The Conference held at Whalley Abbey during the
to-day that their responsibility must be correspondingly
week-end November 15-17, early disposed of any doubts
high.
about the prospects of a successful effort so late in the
year.
In spite of-or perhaps because of-the rather
At a later session, Mr. Fisher spoke on &dquo; Juvenile
limited accommodation at this popular centre, it was
Delinquency &dquo; from the educationist’s point of view. He
again proved that the deepest sense of fellowship is only
described the background against which present day
incidentally dependent on external conditions. Certainly,
youth of delinquent age has grown up-their early years
the friendly intimacy of a week-end spent in close asso-
during the slump, followed by the feverish and exhaust-
ciation with one’s colleagues produces its own inspira-
ing atmosphere of war.
In this scene of instability, the
tion ; and the very seasonable weather, (which was at
educational system had coped with the child’s school
least &dquo; quite settled &dquo; throughout) seemed in perspective
teaching fairly successfully he thought.
It should be
a matter of purely nominal interest.
admitted, however, that the changes in our ideas of real
education, quite considerable during the past 25 years,
Mr. Rocksborough Smith and Miss Hughes were guests
had made great improvements of a material kind most
of the Branch during the week-end, and were welcomed
urgent, particularly in the provision of modern buildings
by the Branch Chairman, Mr. N. Yates, who opened the
and equipment. When it is remembered that on the one
Conference on the Friday evening. The general theme
hand, 95 per cent. of our children attend State-provided
of the programme was &dquo; The Relationship of the Proba-
schools, and also that 80 per cent. of the population lives
tion Service to allied Social Services&dquo;, and during the
in urban areas, whence the bulk of delinquency must
week-end, sessions were addressed by the Lord Bishop
come, the importance of full provision of all educational
of Blackburn, the Rt. Rev. W. M. Askwith, D.D., by Mr.
facilities is self-evident.
Plans now being prepared to
Norman Fisher, M.A., Deputy Education Officer for Lan-
cover the next 20 years or so would depend for their suc-
cashire, by Dr. G. A. Cormack, Senior Medical Officer of
cess on our ability to overcome these material difhculties.
Strangeways Prison, and by Superintendent C. N. Lindsay
On the human side, Mr. Fisher compared the conditions
of the Lancashire County Police. This full programme
of the pre-industrial era (when so many workers were
of instruction and stimulation did not, needless to say,
craftsmen in their own right, achieving their ambitions
obtrude to the exclusion of lighter entertainment of a
in their joy of work) with conditions to-day when so few
kind beloved of probation officers, and full honour was
have jobs calling for interest or skill. Can one wonder
paid to that firm tradition of the Service that &dquo; work
that so much of the individual personality fails to find
with play in willing harness run.&dquo;
healthy expression?
Speaking of the problem of back-
°
In his address on &dquo; The Church in relation to the
ward children, Mr. Fisher regretted that so little can be
Social Work of the Courts &dquo;, Dr. Askwith laid special
done at present-especially in County areas-for their
emphasis on the anxiety felt by the Church about
proper provision.
The new Education Act does consider
marriage problems-always a serious enough problem, but
the handicapped child, but here again everything depends
now unhappily greatly exaggerated by the strains of the
on so far non-existent material equipment.
past...
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