Tuition And Opportunity

Are our local young people taking advantage?

Would I as a teenager smoke, drink, take drugs? And the answer comes easily; it's a definite Yes. But why? And this time it becomes a bit more difficult to answer but none the less explainable. Our problems, and this applies more to young people, is that we are not progressive enough. We are not going anywhere, but going there fast. We really ought to support our village shops for example, but let's face it we can't even support God so what chance has our village shopkeeper got? Go to Church or Chapel next Sunday and see how many people are there; not a lot.

As a young man, if I wanted to go swimming I had a choice; I could either throw myself in the river at Stoke Ferry or forget it. Today there are swimming pools all over the place but for what purpose? Not just to swim in I hope. Swimming pools should be used to train Champions with the expert tuition that goes with it. That to me is being progressive which is what I am on about.

I have always been keen on sport, including Snooker, but I'm mediocre and yet I find I'm as good as most people. What we should be doing is encouraging our young people, not just to participate in all sports but also, in every other aspect of our village life, and see that the tuition and the opportunity is there for them. Otherwise they will finish up as mediocre as I am! Never let us overlook this point it's tremendously relevant.

Many young people living in this area attend Methwold High School which has been in existence for some 50 years. Surely when they leave there, their education in all fields would be vastly superior to mine which ended where it began at Methwold Primary School at the age of 13. Large numbers of pupils have left that School over the last 50 years and have gone on to what? Do we know of any pupil who went on to play Football for King's Lynn, Norwich City, or England; In other words, a David Beckham? Did any ex pupil go on to play Cricket for Norfolk; and then England, an Ian Botham mark two?

Do we switch on our TV and see an ex pupil playing in a Pop Group? Or being an Actor or Actress? Our present MP, Gillian Shepherd is a Norfolk Lady; will our next MP who will represent S W Norfolk have links with Methwold High School? The answer, very unlikely! I am not interested in attaching blame on present or past pupils, or Teachers. But surely, most readers would agree I have a point? I still think the 'System' isn't working; well something isn't. I'm sure the talent is there; that being so' why hasn't it made it's mark?

Les Lawrence