NOT FOR PROPAGANDA

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 16, 19 January 1921, Page 8

NOT FOR PROPAGANDA

WORKERS' EDUCATIONAL

ASSOCIATION

DUTIES OF A TEACHER.

UNIVERSITY CHANCELLOR'S VIEWS.

Discussing in his annual report to the Senate of the University of New Zealand the progress of the Workers' Educational Association, the Chancellor (Sir Robert Stout) criticised strongly the use of tho association as a medium of propaganda. "During the year," he said, "considerable discussion appeared in the public press re gardingr the appointment of one of the instructors an 'economics in Canterbury. He does not seem to be a university graduate, and, judging- by hiß public utterances, he is a Marxian in theory, and may properly be termed a revolutionary communist. We know that there are at present in every couutry*"m the world propagandists who desire to see the present industrial life of the community changed, and this by forcible means if necessary. In my opinion," said Sir Robert, "these Workers' Educational Classes will not bo beneficial to our i>eoplp if conducted by revolutionaries. There can be- no 1 progress without order, as Comto pointed out long ago, and I do not think the University should use its funds for the propagation of any special economic theory, and especially should not lend its aid to a propaganda of revolution. A teacher of economics should be able to place' before the students a history of the subject and the different views held by writers on economics. A true teacher will not be a propagandist of any special theory; he ought to be a man who can fairly and honestly place before students all tho different economic theories. 1' Referring also to the progress made, the Chancellor said that tho Otago University and the Victoria University College had sent in their reports. He noted that Otago seemed to have been successful in obtaining able' and competent teachers, most of them having University degrees. The Victoria University College had been equally successful, though he noticed that one teacher of economics did not seem to be of any ■ University standing. In the Victoria University College report it was stated that there was a weakness displayed in all the classes through the absence of written work, and that tho students did not seem to consider tho study so seriously as should be. In conclusion. Sir Robert expressed the opinion that the University should insist upon the.. teachers having either Univer!sty status or University diplomas in the subjects of which they were teachers. The Workers' Educational Classes should have &s teachers the ablest men or women attainable. ' . . PROPOSED COMMITTEE OF INVES- : ■ -..- ■ •. TIGATION. : . ; .- . • , ■ Professor Macmillan Brown, Vice-Chan-cellor, said that when the matter came up before the Senato he intended to move that a committeo should be formed to investigate! the working of the Workers' Educational Association. The Senate should' accept responsibility.. The committee should inquire into the efficiency of the teachers arid the association. Professor Hunter (Wellington) said ho was sorry to see tho paragraph in the Chancellor's report going out to the press and the public without any presentation of tho other side of the case. It'was hard to realise tho hemendous diffieultiee there had been during the war period in obtainthc right type of tutors not-only on account of tho_ scarcity of men, but on account of tho inadequacy of the fund which prevented the offering of reasonable salaries. In regard to the particular case, Professor. Hunter' had pointed out that the tutor had been recommended by the Joint Committeo, and. tho appointment had been sanctioned. It was rather unfortunate that tho matter should be Clogged again in th« press. • The Chancellor: "Why?" - - -

LEAVE THE BEST MAN FREE.

Professor Hunter said there'were different opinions, and schools of economic thought. The? were faced with the difficulty that one section of the community strongly objected to economists of one type, and another section tookjust aß6trong an animosity'towarda bconomists of another type. Tho proper duty of the Workers' Education Association was to endeavour to appoint the most capable man for the position, and, having appointed him, to leave him absolutely free to teach his classes in his own way. It would do no good after the appointment to try to make him walk a. particular path. Tho Chancellor: "We. don't want him to do so."

Professor Hunter said he did not know whether the- tutor was a "revolutionary communist." It was safer to leave history to judge in many cases. If the university was going to interfere, because it gave a certain monetary grunt to colleges, when the, colleges were trying to administer the work, it would be a very serious mistake.

The Chancellor* "Where is the interference?"

Professor Hunter: "Professor Macmillan'Brown's proposal'for an inquiry."

Rrofessor Maemillan Brown: "I intended to giv-e that notice of motion before I ever read the Chancellor's statement."

BETTER DEATH THAN

Professor Hunter referred again to the very hea/y amount of voluntary work undertaken by people with a view of providing the best, tuition. If this sort of view was to come from the University, how could they turn round and criticise, if a- Labour organisation said a certain tutor was too much of a "classic economist," and refused to have anything to do with him? It would kill the movement.

Tho Chancellor: "Better kill it than have revolutionary propaganda." Professor Hunter: "You assume he is a revolutionary propagandist." Was it fair, asked the speaker, to assume that? The Chancellor said ho was going by what had been stated in the public press and by membere of the. Canterbury College Council

Professor Hunter pointed out that the appointment had been sanctioned by the commifctefi.

The Chancellor: "He has no. status *» a graduate."

Professor Hunter detailed, the qualifications of some of tho tutors who wore teaching under the Workers' Educational Association Not all were graduates; souks were university students, others were not. but their qualifications had been considered. He was quite certain it would be * (rravo mistake if it appeared that tho University took sides.

Tho "Chancellor: "I take the ground thero should not bo sides.''

Professor Hunter: "I 3 a man to be condemned because ho is a Marxian m theory?"

UNIVERSITIES AND..TRUSTS,

The Chancellor: I say such.a'man should not bo a teacher in a University, if he is a Marxian and says the whole system of society should be set aside by revolution, if necessary. It has been upheld intlfniversitie3 in America. 1' "

Professor Hunter: "Upheld by .Trusts." ■Tho Chancellor: "The Lolsvud Stamford University in America." ' ''...

Professor Hunter: "Yes; a man had criticised the v/ay in which ;ha money was obtained." "' .

Professor Macmillan Brown said he had intended by his notice of motion to obviate the trouble that had arisen. The whole question was how the university funds wero being applied. They ought to lay the foundations firmly, and make the W.E.A. a nursery for the university colleges, so that students who guvo promise might, be awarded scholarships. He had thought seriously about the W.E.A. long before ho had ever hard of this case.

APPOINTMENT JUSTIFIED,

Professor Hight said the Chancellor's reference was rather unfortunate. ' Mr. Archer was not a graduate of any university, but he had completed a. course in economics at a university college and distinguished himself. Personally, he would not favour specifying that tutors must be graduate.;. On behalf of the University Joint Committee in Canterbury he would like to say they had thoroughly investigated the allegations about Mr. Archer.l; ilmnr-n, mid it luiri boon found thai, ho had been particularly restrained in his pre.

sentation of the subject. Instead of putting forward revolutionary doctrine ha had rather gone to the other extreme.

IS IT DOING THE WORK?

Mr. H. F. Yon Haaat said that; too much attention had been directed to the and too little to the purposos of the organisation set out by Mr. Atkinson when a member of the Senate. He laid down that the work should be properly done, set essays should be handed in, and students should bind themselves to undergo a course of so many years. Had this been done? Mr. Yon Haast did not think so. The classes in some subjects had dropped down to nothing ■at all, and, so far as the workers were ooncerned, mon had left because ' tha Marxian theory was not set forth al; all. There were other classes for business men, and these were like popular lectures. Five or six essays were sent in through a year, and in some cases these were only twelve or fifteen" lines long. Workers had not shown inclination to take advantage, of the classes. As a series of popular lectures the aims of the W.E.A. were not being carried out. The Senate was, in a sense, responsible for tho way in which the funds were distributed, for seeing that they wore allocated for the purpose for which they were intended. They wanted a. committee to go into the facts and find out the number" of «tud-. ents attending clasi-es. The committee should see whether the-W.E.A. was doing the work in accordance with the aims and objects for which the association was founded. If it was not, the money raiirht be better spent on university edu- , cation. ■/ •

'■ Mr. J. C. Adams (Chrietchurch), in regard to tho particular teacher in question, said that careful inquiry into the methods ■and matter of the teacher had boon made, and it had been found there was a frreat deal of exasperation, an<J tho governing body sanctioned the appointment!. So f&T from being revolutionary, Mr. Archer had. if anything, leaned to tho other side; and- the committee was •perfectly satisfied with the way ho was conducting his classes. "TESTS" DEPRECATED. : Professor Benham thought the Chancellor had made a. mistake, acting Tinder a misanprehension. I The "Chancellor: "Not -at all. I have the printed evidence here." ■ Professor Benham deprecated mstitut-' ing anything like a test, -which would kill a movement which had suffered already from the opinion among the workers that it was engineered by the employers. It was a very dangerous thing for a Chancellor of .the University of New Zealand to make such a statement. It took a lonjr timo to catch up a statement like that.

Mr. H. F. yon Haast: "The Senate- can disagree with it."

■ Professor Bcnha-m then moved thai;'the Senito disagree with, the implications contained in, the paragraph.

At this stage the Chancellor rose to state that he h.*d an appointment at ncfon, and the suggestion was adopted that the matter should be adjourned until hit! Te■turn. Sir Robert 6tafed that he would reply to the criticism.

The Vice-Chancellor took the chair in his absence, and the. Seriate went on to other business. -

. There was further discussion this afternoon, and ultimately a. division on Professor Benham's offer to withdraw ,his motion was taken. The result wa<s 12 votes to 8 in favour of withdrawal