W.E.A. SUMMER CAMP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 306, 28 December 1931, Page 11

W.E.A. SUMMER CAMP.

GATHERING AT PAERATA. DISCUSSIONS AND SPORT. THREE COURSES OF LECTURES. The sixth annual camp of the Workers' Educational Association opened on Boxing Day with the arrival of some 60 campers at Wesley College, Paerata. which has for the second time in succession 'been selected as the camp site. Although in "camp" in name, the members are housed in the college itself, and are under the control of the camp director, Mr. W. H. Cocker, acting in place of Professor H. Belshaw, who was called away to attend a conference in Australia.

There are three courses of lectures provided, "The Growth of Freedom," "The Theatre Through the Ages" and "The New Russia." Attendance at the morning lectures in the first two courses is compulsory, ibut at the evening session it is optional. The afternoon is left entirely free, and campers may amuse themselves in any "way they please. Wesley College is run as a model farm, and there are consequently many things of interest to 'be seen on the 600 acres of rolling country of which it consists. By courtesy of Mr. Clark, the headmaster, campers are free to walk over all parts of the farm.

Saturday, the first day, was occupied mainly in settling down in the college quarters, but in the. evening the course, '"The New Russia" was commenced, with a lecture by Mr. N. M. Richmond, 8.A., entitled '"Russia Before the Revolution." The camp director, Mr. Cocker, also gave an address to the campers: He explained the purposes of the camps and said he considered that W.E.A. camps were really the high-water mark of W.E.A. activities. He stressed the need of avoiding the fault of conventionality of thought, and intolerance of what others might think. There was some danger in adopting a point of view just because it was what every one else thought. The purpose of the camp was to provide a course of lectures on subjects, with resulting discussion, so that each one might review the evidence and make up his or her mind for himself.

A one-act play was read by members of the school, and the evening ended with a dance. •

The musical side is being directed bv Mr. O. Jansen.