W.E.A.

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 119, 23 May 1925, Page 13

W.E.A.

TWO GREAT SPEECHES

ADULT EDUCATION AND SOCIETY '

These ars stirring times in the world's history. Hardly a day passes but we hear of "developments," "criaeß," "revolutions." The war years and those that followed provided upheaval in many social groups and uneasiness in all. In such conditions the human mind finds its way back to the old remedy—selfimprovomeni.

"History has given us," writes the Archbishop of York, "glimpses of what an educated society might be, as, for example, in Ancient Athens at its best, in soms of the Italian cities in the Renaissance, or, I might add, in the city of' Edinburgh at the beginning of the nineteenth century. But for tho most part the life of these educated societies was dependent on a class of slaves ot serfs, or was confined to select classes. Our'task is to make the common crowdi an educated society." This make* our task so much the heavier, especially as we are beginning to define education ih- a much wider manner. In this new educational scheme the training and development of the adult must occupy a prominent place, "Adult education," says the same writer, "must be tho centre of fcha whole educational system, the goal to which all its parts converge. At' present it is largely regarded as a by-product." THE AIM. "The Weal or vision which inspires ub is that of a common life whose atmosphere will quicken the interests which respond to the highest values in human life, and whose public care will be to provide the means by which these interests enn be increasingly sustained atfd satisfied; a society whose citizens ■will both bo encouraged to claim and) enabled to enjoy their birthright in the great inheritance of the greatest, experience and highest achievements of the human mind and spirit."

EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP.

At the great national demonstration on behalf of adult education, held in Kingsway Hall, London Lord Haldane presided, and among the speakeds were Viscount Grey, Mr. C. T. Cramp (National Union of Railway Men) and the Principal of the Working Men's College. Viscount Grey'a address, with the above title, traced the development of education in England, and showed that it had not kept pace with the needs of citizenship—that the development of the social system was outstripping the mental forces of those who lived in it, andi had to direct it. He urged that we should aim at an adult education "that was ■really self-development, not Bpecial knowledge or special skill for a particular job, but the self-development of mind, character, interest, which raises them to tlie highest mental human stature - for which Nature has given us capacity." It was unanimously agreed, "That this meeting is of opinion that the education of adults in the subjects and under the conditions of their own. choosing is <v mattei-'of vital importance to the development of the social, industrial, political and spiritual life-of the'ecuntry. It is difficult to make themass of the people on the one hand, aiid the politicians on the other, realise the truth of this statement. The urgency of our need will determine the enthusiasm of our soarch.

I PUBLIC LECTURE. On 2nd May Mr. D. Miller lectured on "Insects and Economic Development." There was a good audience, which followed the lecture, illustrated with lantern . slides, with interest and profit. In future the lectures will be held in the Red Cross Hall, Dixou etTeet. ■