W.E.A. NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 19003, 27 July 1925, Page 3

W.E.A. NOTES

SCOPE OF CLASSES OCCUPATIONS OF MEMBERS (Contributed by the Local Branch.) In the course of an article contradicting the wrong impressions of Professor Stewart on the W.E.A., Mr L. A. Maude (of Auckland) points one important function the W.E.A. accomplishes which the university colleges usually cannot do. This _ function is that of giving more specialised courses dealing with phases of social science, which are untouched by the more inelastic university system. -He instances such subjects as modern international relations and modern European literature. Instances arc also found in Canterbury, whore there arc classes in ‘ New Zealand Economic Development,’ ‘ Social Movements of tho Nineteenth Century,’ and the ‘ Control of Industry.’ Dunedin has often offered courses which lie outside the usual work of the university. Archdeacon Woodthorpe, for instance, year after year prepared a special course in some branch of social science beyond his professional teaching. This year there are courses of this nature in ‘ Tho Trade Cycle,’ 1 Social Psychology,’ ‘ Psychology in Literature,’ and ‘ Modern Literature.’ Such surely, exorcises a valuable influence in the community, and is a desirable supplement to the ordinary more systematic and scientific university teaching. LOCAL CLASSES.

Tho North End Class meeting on Thursdays, which this year is studying social history and development, commences this week on tho modern period with a lecture ■on ‘ The Historical Basis of Capitalism.’ Subsequent lectures will deal with various phases of social life in tho nineteenth century and of to-day. •Anyone who is interested in W.E.A. work, and feels it is too late to join a class this year, should make a point of visiting several of the local classes, where they will always get a welcome. A list may be had from the W.E.A. office.

Anyone who doubted the interest in tho biology class should have been present last Friday to see the 75 per rout, of members who faced hail and snow to hear Dr Holloway give his sixth lecture. Ho dealt with colonies of uni-cellular organisms and _ multicellular bodies, and showed their place in the constitution of plants and animals. Next week he is to lecture on sex and the reproduction of the species. Tho district organiser visited Hampden last week as part of a policy tbql associatinu is> working out of placing classes in all the small townships of Otago and Southland. The local mayor kindly took the chair, with a good attendance of residents, and the result was that a class has been formed to study literature in a session of twelve nights, under the tutorship of Mr J. Johnson.

At the meeting of tho philosophy class last Thursday the following resolution was passed unanimously by the class:—“That this class wishes to protest against the unwarrantable assertions of Professor Stewart before tho University Commission that the W.E.A. classes in Now Zealand do only superficial work, and make no appeal to tho workers.” ARE THEY WORKERS?

The W.E.A. does not consider it its task to differentiate between workers and non-workers, and so inflame classconsciousness. It is always interested in the occupations of its members. As these play so largo a; part in life experience and thus in tho mutual education arrived at in a W.E.A. class. At a meeting of the University Council a question was asked, presumably in jest, re the occupation of members of the biology class. The actual list is of interest. It comprises 15 manual workers, pins 1 masseur and 16 women engaged in domestic duties (mostly where no paid help is available), 5 teachers, 2 lecturers, 6 clerics or accountants, 2 travellers, 1 chemist, 2 manufacturers, 1 minister, 3 retired teachers or civil servants, out of a total of 54. Well over half, therefore, may be called manual workers, and practically all arc workers of some kind, in a class which has a highlyspecialised subject of study.