ADULT EDUCATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 59, 11 March 1937, Page 11

ADULT EDUCATION

W.E.A. CONFERENCE

ORGANISATION'S WORK

"The session recently concluded has been one of pleasant relief from the depressing influence of the last four years," states the annual report of the chairman, presented to the Dominion conference of the .Workers' Educational Association, which opened today in the . association's Wellington office in the Trades Hall. "This relief," the report continues, "resulted from the return of the Government grants, although the subsidies on donations, were not reinstated. .The main effect of the financial assistance from the Government was the payment of reasonable fees to the tutors." The association would have been compelled considerably to reduce its activities had it not been for the generous action of most of the tutors in giving their services either free or for a very small charge. Since 1932, when the previous Government cancelled its grant, the activities of the association and the number of classes fell very heavily, though it was a' matter for congratulation that the society had maintained its predominant activity, the organisa: tion of classes, during the years when the Government grant was withdrawn..

"The manner in which this association has attacked the problem of providing the country adult population with the facilities for further education," the report continues, "is shown by the number of classes in session organised under the Box scheme and the correspondence school." Auckland had 50 such classes, Wellington 45, Canterbury 27, and Otago and Southland 12. The country classes enrolled about 1724 students and the urban classes 2822 students.

Besides the formation ,of classes, two summer schools were organised, one in Auckland, and one in Canterbury.

The report of the committee appointed by ythe University .Senate to prepare a comprehensive scheme for adult education in New Zealand had been sent to the Minister of Education (the Hon. P. Fraser) and to the Senate. It recommended, the setting up of a central Council of Adult Education to co-ordinate the different activities, and to further the interests of adult education by any" steps it thinks desirable, and the formation of committees in each of the university districts.