THE WORKERS' EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2741, 8 April 1916, Page 3

THE WORKERS' EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION

PROGRESS IN ALL CENTRES.

The annual report of the ■ Workers' Educational Associations of New Zealand has been, issued in the form of an attractive booklet. The reports come from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill, In Auckland there were six tutorial classes,_ five_ in economics and one in industrial, history. There . was also a 6tudy cirrile in the subject of' international law, and another on chairmanship, the latter being led by the Hon. George I'owlds. All the tutors were University graduates. Among the other activities of the Auckland Association were five lectures delivered on subjects of pressing interest. A striking project on tho part of this association is the proposal to establish'a class for tho appreciation of music. In Wellington • thero were four . tutorial classes, two in economics, one in English literature, and one in the theory of electricity. In addition, there : was also a study circle in psychology for women .students. In every case the tutors were University graduates. 'The report states that all the tutors reported with 'satisfaction on the increasing ability of the students to write their fortnightly essays. Under tlio auspices of the Wellington Association three public lectures were delivered in the Concert Chamber, Town Hall, and were well attended. The report states that the Government' was Unable owing to the war to make a grant to the funds of tho association. It is stated, however,!that'unless funds aro forthcoming from the University, the Government, and the borough councils it will be impossible to extend the ivork of the association, the basis of the education offered being that it shall ho open to all workers willing to study and that it shall not be limited by lack of funds on the part of any individual. In this connection, the thanks of the association are, expressed to the University Senate, which granted £300 to each University College for the purposes of the association's work, and to the City Councils of Auckland, Wellington, and'Christchurch for the grant £100 each to the associations established in those cities.

In Christchurch there were three tutorial classes, two in economies and one in psychology. Tho tutors were again University graduates, and they considered that the progress of their classes was good, and that the essays sent in were very good. Tho Christchurch Association ran several courses of popular lectures'. Mr. L. Birks, B.Sc., the (Joverpment Electrician,- gave, a course of six_ lectures on electricity; Mr. R. A. Laing, M.A., B.Sc., gavo a course or six lectures on. chemistry; Dr. Macnnllan Brown gave a course of seven lectures on "The History of the Pacific Ocean." The attendances at these lectures. varied from SO to 100 people. One feature of the Christchurch work was the establishment of a "Parliamentary Union" after the close of the tutorial class session. Discussions, on various topics were carried on with an average attendance of, 30 to 40. As is > the case with the other centres, the .Christchurch tutorial classes now have the nucleus of a lending library for each class, and it is hoped to add ' to these from, year to year. In Dunedin there was only one tu- ! tonal class formed, the subject studied 1 being pconomics. Tho membership was over 30, _and_ the interest of the students in the class was well maintained. The tutor of this class, was Professor Bedford,, and his report on the class is appended to the Dominion report,. M an example of tho way in which a tutorial class is conducted. J-his report of the Professor's puts in a very clear way the advantages of the educational methods of the W.'E.A. In Invercargill there were two tutorial classes, the first being in economics, conducted by tho Rev. J. K. Arqher, and the second in English literature, conducted by Mr. Oliver Duff. B.A. • This centre reports thai good work was- done, although the energies of the students were interfered- with to some extent by their activities in connection with the "Wounded Soldiers'' lHmd. Nearly all the industrial, so-' cial, and educational societies of Invercargill assisted the work there, and joined the movement. The Invercargill class in economics has tho nucleus of a library of its own. This centre reports that it was not able to arrange anything like a series of public lecturcs mainly _ because Invercargill is not in tho strict sense a University centre. 'j. his Dominion report makes very interesting reading, and it appears that tho associations in New Zealand may look forward to a year of increasingly useful work. ' • • . The annual meeting of the Wellington centre of the association was held on Saturday, March 18 last, when the report of the AYellington Association was adopted. Professor T. A, Hunter was elected president for the ensuing year, and Messrs. D. Stanley Smith and J. M'Kenzio wove re-elected to tho position of lion, secretary and lion, troa- 1 surer respectively. It was deculiM to grant representation on the Central Council of the association to every fifty individual members, and tho constitution was amended accordingly. It was also decided that the. tutorial classes could affiliate with tho association,, and that each could send a representative to the Central Council,