…Reaction

Sir—Cathy Wylie's attitude may be appropriate within the context of her own school—not that pessimism is going to achieve anything there, either—but since it is reasonable to assume that not all boards ol governors, headmasters, teachers and pupils are the same everywhere, hope, optimism, and persistence in the spreading of our ideas and enthusiasm must be the programme for any nondefeatist.

At the start of her letter Miss Wylie seems to be a defeatist, but at the end she shows herself to be a fully-fledged part of the static establishment. I am happy for Cathy in her admiration for her headmaster—I wonder if this feeling ever lets her disagree with him? Censorship, except for the prevention of what in law passes for obscenitv and libel, partial democracy and establishmentised pupils official positions must be deplored.

I don't know what scientific survey informed Miss Wylie that "You can have just as much (my italics) success with words un-published as words printed", but it must be obvious that once all Other avenues have failed, the still unsatisfied grievances-surely she does not deny that some remain unsatitfied—must be aired in print as one means to the end.

One wonders, when noting Miss Wylie's confident use of the word, "we", whether this is an editorial "we" or if she thinks she is an editorial "we" or if she thinks she is speaking for all the pupils of Hutt Valley High School, or of New Zealand. One wonders.

I would maintain that there will be a large amount of apathy as well as resistance, and we shall try to overcome both. The amount of actual resistance appears. I think, disproportionately large to Miss Wylie, as her companions would be sixth-formers, jealous of their privileges in some cases, especially if they are prefcts.

Nevertheless, Miss Wylie is obviously concerned, and lacks only optimism, in my view.