It is not within the scope of this history to assess the work 
     
     of planning educational change. The strengths and the weaknesses 
     
     of the plan will reveal themselves as boys and girls move through 
     
     the new school system and take their places in society. Suffice it 
     
     to say that every individual on the E.P.U. and the Regional 
     
     Planning Boards was sincerely dedicated to the task of helping 
     
     Island children. The Minister of Education, in according Home 
     
     and School equal representation with Teachers Federation, 
     
     demonstrated his faith in Home and School as an informed group 
     
     who had made worthwhile contributions to education for two 
     
     decades, 
     
    
   
   
    
     SMOKING AND HEALTH 
     
    
   
   
    
     In view of the overwhelming evidence provided by medical 
     
     reports, statistics and research findings, that cigarette smoking is 
     
     a serious health hazard, the alarming incidence of tobacco 
     
     smoking among school children has become one of the areas of 
     
     concern for the Home and School Federation during the past few 
     
     years. The provincial Smoking and Health Committee has been 
     
     involved in a number of programs, projects and campaigns aimed 
     
     at combatting this problem. The objective is to help children see 
     
     the dangers of smoking so that they don't start. Involvement in 
     
     the anti—smoking program requires working at several levels and 
     
     phases. For example, the provincial Smoking and Health Commit- 
     
     tee assists the local associations to disseminate information on the 
     
     dangers of smoking, to stress the exemplar role, and to set up 
     
     programs such as poster blitz, contests and panel discussions. 
     
    
   
   
    
     In the school year 1970-71 two anti-smoking projects were 
     
     conducted. In one the students of grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 in P.E.l. 
     
     schools participated in an anti-smoking poster contest. A large 
     
     number of entries was received and three winning posters were 
     
     chosen. In the second project, high school students (grades 9, IO, 
     
     11 and 12) from across the province participated in an essay 
     
     contest Why / Want to Remain a N0n<Smoker. The winning 
     
     posters and essays were displayed at the Annual Convention of 
     
     the P.E.l. Home and School Federation. Victor Dotten, then 
     
     National President, addressed the convention and gave cash prizes 
     
     and certificates to the winners. 
     
    
   
   
    
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