AFRICAN EDUCATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 292, 9 December 1936, Page 16

AFRICAN EDUCATION.

OVERSEAS LEAGUE ADDRESS.

An interesting evening was spent by members of the Overseas League last night in the league rooms, when Mrs. Eva M. Seward, of England, gave an address 011 the education of the natives of South Africa and Rhodesia. The convener of the social circle, Mrs. F. Bauer, received the guests and also welcomed Mrs. Seward and Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Smith, of Wellington. Flame and scarlet carnations and gladioli effectively adorned the room, and the guest of honour, Mrs. Seward, was presented with a bouquet of rosepink carnations. During the evening pianoforte solos by Mrs. E. Beniams, and songs by Miss Lenore Dunnet were enjoyed. Mrs. Seward pointed out, in her address, that there were four natives to every white person in Africa, and the tremendous problem of educating these hundred million natives was of vital importance to the Empire. She described the terrible conditions under which the teachers were working in the coloured schools, and emphasised the children's eagerness to learn. Though the parents were very poor, they made sacrifices to save the (id a month which they had to pay, but the Dutch Government £id not believe in educating the natives, so they were not receiving the education to which they were entitled. Mrs. Seward went on to speak of the only college in South Africa for the higher education of the natives. There, she said, she had been impressed by the coloured students' eagerness to study and desire for knowledge, but they had the grave disadvantage of having to do all their studies and examinations in English. "In South Africa," the speaker continued, "the missions are training the girls to look after their homes and babies, while the boys learn carpentry and other useful handicrafts. They are able to make very beautiful furniture from their local woods, but the trade union system prevents them from manufacturing it on any large scale."