AUTHORITY OF NUMBERS

Evening Star, Issue 21714, 8 May 1934, Page 3

AUTHORITY OF NUMBERS

DEMOCRACY TENDS TO MEDIOCRITY PROFESSOR'S ADDRESS TO TEACHERS [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, May 7. Professor T. A. Hunter, Vice-chan-cellor of the University of New Zealand, addressing the conference of the Educational Institute, ' said that there was a tendency in modern democratic institutions for the counting of heads and a great tendency to pay respect to the payers of dues. Influences, in teachers’ organisations us in others, were continually working in that direction. He referred to the • need for finance, the endeavour to obtain as many members as possible, and the fear of competing organisations. There was danger in the popular election of officers, ho continued, because those officers who t were elected on a democratic vote were liable to pay too much attention to the authority of numbers. Consequently, the democratic institution tended to mediocrity. The institution should take up a stand that people had to qualify before they could become members. The idea that people had to qualify implied discip line in the organisation, and a member should be made to feel that be would be supported only if his cause was just. Another danger of popular institutions was iu-breediug. In modern times teachers, above all, should be cautious of the influence of habit and regression. If teachers mixed only with teachers there would be a tendency towards the development of stereotyped pattern. “ I say quite seriously that teachers should not spend their holidays with other teachers,” he said. “ Develop other interests in life; in sport, in hobbies, in art, and in public life.” Professor Hunter said that educationists had to fight against the idea that education was restricted to training that would enable people to earn a living in the narrow sense of the term.