Johannesburg Youth vs. Port Elizabeth Youth

CAPE TIMES – 1933, July 17 

“Johannesburg is unhappily not in the same fortunate position,” said Mr. PR Stanton, employment officer, in an interview in regard to the report from Port Elizabeth that the Juvenile Affairs Board there was no longer able to supply the demand for educated boys and girls.

There was less difficulty in placing the Educated youth, but they had by no means absorbed the waiting list. According to Mr. Stanton, Education was not the only criterion. On various occasions he sent boys with only Standard VI education, together with matriculated lads, as applicants for the same vacancy.

The Standard VI boy usually got the job, the reason for this being that the better educated modern youth’s failing was that he mistakes impertinence for independence and confuses civility with servility. This habit was not only reprehensible, but, from the materialistic point of view, extremely unprofitable.

MATRIC VERSUS MANNERS

Experience had shown that, while the majority of youths and their parents looked upon a reasonable standard of education as not merely desirable but essential, little or no attempt had been made to acquire social assets.

Mr. Stanton added: “To put the matters bluntly, the issue was largely one of matriculation versus manners.”

He asked a prominent business man whether he considered courtesy essential in the modern business world. His answer was most emphatically that politeness was the lubricant which made the wheels of business run smoothly. These criticism was not directed against youths from the country, but applied to the town-bred youth with equal force.