W.E.A.

Evening Star, Issue 20022, 13 November 1928, Page 3

W.E.A.

ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the Workers’ Educational Association was held in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall laH. night, when Dr G. Id. Thompson presided over a fair attendance. In moving the adoption of the loiirteenth annual report Dr Thompson said that the financial side of the movement was still the association’s greatest source of anxiety. Its income was not equal to the demands made upon it, and it had had to cut its coat strictly according to its cloth. The statutory Government grants which it received hud, it was true, the useful character of permanency, but they made no allowance for expansion, ami a growing youth of fourteen must needs led bis movements cramped if_ he was compelled to wear the same size in clothes and boots of the boy of seven or eight. The attitude of the Government, no doubt, -was that in such a movement as this tho community should play Us part, and by “playing its part” was meant “ paying ” its part. It was .-ellevidout that the district of Otago and Southland was in this roped al a considerable disadvantage' as compared with the northern districts, where a greater population and a larger number of thriving towns furnished a wider and more fruitful field lor private financial support. Tho association’s overhead expenses dependent on tho number of classes and the number ol lectures were not appreciably less than elsewhere. Indeed, in some respects they were greater, for in the absence of resident tutors in country districts the association was compelled to centre its work in Dunedin and Invercargill, with a consequent heavy expenditure of money and time in tho constant travelling of its permanent tutors. U was all the more gratifying, therefore, to bo able to cull attention to tho slight increase in the amount of private donations noted in the report. A much more satistactory basis ol finance would bo provided if the education authorities would extend to the W.E.A, a system of capitation similar to that in vogue in other branches of the educational service. U was, of course, impossible to represent tho progress of an educational movement by cold statistics, Dr Thompson continued. Estimates blised on results wero vague, tor the association had to do with a slow-growing plant which would show its full fruits in tho next generation in tho form of a higher standard of mental and spiritual living. But tho report contained many unmistakable signs of an intensifying of interest. As all knew, there wero two sides to all leaching—instruction and inspiration.* instruction was the body, inspiration was tho spirit; instruction was the machine, inspiration was the motive power. Both wore cssentiaj, but imagination carried on the work long after tbo mere instruction had ceased. Instruction was necessarily limited; the effects of inspiration had no limits. When a workers’ educational association class had become so interested that the members could not leave the subject, but voluntarily continued informal classes for discussion after the ordinary programme of lectures had been completed, it must he concluded that the class had been successful, and both class and tutor might be envied. This was a gratifying feature of the association’s work. All who were acquainted with the local movement bad noted the enthusiasm visible in many of the classes. Ono example was tbo drama class under Mr Lloyd Ross, ft had shown the effect of inspiration by the production of six original plays by class members, besides the public representation of lour short plays by wellknown authors. xle understood thaw the interest of members was to great that much dilliculty was experienced in the matter of selection: Tho correspondence method of tuition bad opened up a wide and pruniLing field of work. Gorrcspoudcnco tuition of the usual type—lectures, notes, questions, and essays —was availed of by an ever-increasing number ot students (fifty-seven in all), scattered throughout the dominion, consisting of farmers, public works employees, school teachers, and others situated in isolated districts far from regular classes. With greater financial resources this field could bo greatly developed. No branch of educational work greater labour and strain on the tutor, and to cope with large numbers a larger stall of tutors would be essential. A collateral development had been that of tbo application to tho district of the rural educational scheme organised for Canterbury by Professor Shelley. This type o'f tuition was of a most attractive character. ft was earned out by means of typed lecture sheets, supplemented by gramophone records, pictures. literary extracts, forwarded to group classes in country districts which met for discussions in music, art, and literature. This work in Canterbury had been exceedingly successful, and the new experiment in Otago promised to be equally annular. Already groups

of lliis kind had been organised in Waipiata, Middleman’ll, and Kurow. There were many oilier aspects of I bo work of tho association to which ho should like to refer, but time did not permit it. Tho movement had still to combat misconceptions anil prejudices. Tho debate on the subject in Parliament showed tbo surprising ignorance prevalent in sonic quarters as to the association’s aims, methods, and ideals. In fact, after reading the remarks -made in the course of the debate one rubbed one’s eyes, and wondered if the subject under discussion was really tbo W.E.A. as it was known in Otago. Critics who talked of tho capture of the movement by ono section of the community or another had only to pay a visit to a few classes to have their minds clarified and tho ini.sls rolled away. There was, after all, a very comforting and -reassuring inconsistency in those charges of rapture. If a piece of cloth was said by one man to bo black, by, another to bo while, by a third to bo bine, tho actual colour must bo something to which only an extreme personal idiosyncraey could take exception.

In conclusion, ho reminded members that tbo world was now fully roused to the importance ol adult education. It was no longer a. side issue, or a matter of pure recreation. It was becoming mure and more the duty of iho individual to acquire it, and of the community to give it. Every citizen was under an obligation to equip himself for his responsibilities ns a member of organised society. Schools, clleges, universities, alter all, give instruction in fundamentals, . Adult education was post-graduate, whether the graduation gjigbt bo from tbo recognised hall of Teaming or from tho harder school of experience of modern life.

The motion was seconded by Air A. Id. Sutherland, and caused a general di,-mission, in which high tributes were paid to the association's tutors. The balance-sheet, which showed a very satisfactory position, was adopted «itliout discussion. ELECTION OK OFFICERS.

In [imposing 1 lint Dr Thompson bo again appointed president, Air H. Bra.sch paid a high tribute to tbo energy and zeal Dr Thompson had put into llio work. The proposal was carried by acclamation. Other olliecrs appointed were: Vice-presidents Alcsm’s T. K. Sidcy, W. J. Atorrell, and 11. Jones; auditors, Alcssrs Brasch and K. Jones. A vote of thanks to those who bad assisted tho movement was carried.