INVENTING THE EXTRACURRICULUM. HIGH SCHOOL CULTURE IN INTERWAR ONTARIO

The Problem A so-called Youth Problem after WWI, derived from Popular Culture Youth now spending their time in the cinema’s, dance halls and taverns which were seen as immoral and a place without parental supervision. The youth represents the nations potential. WWI maimed or killed 60,000 Canadian men which the country needed to replace with this new generation.

Quotes on the “Problem” “The allurements of the automobile and the movies and the craze for dancing has seriously interfered with their attention to their studies.” “The moral fibre of the young is being weakened and their success in life endangered by their pursuit of pleasure.”

The Solution To create extracurricular activities to coax young Canadians away from troubling new commercial amusements and into adult- sanctioned and supervised “educational” venues that create character training. The most obvious area for organizing youth free-time was at the high school which was increasingly central to the adolescent experience

Quotes on the “Solution”