W.E.A.

Evening Star, Issue 23527, 16 March 1940, Page 14

W.E.A.

WIDESPREAD ACTIVITIES. Extending'Rural ; Work. ’ . The increased grant made available by the Government, through the university councils, for adult education is making it possible to extend rural work in Otago this season. For the city work additional part-time tutors have been engaged and the .organising tutor has been liberated to give his whole time to organising and visiting groups throughout the district and conducting tutorial correspondence. He has already visited several centres in Southland, where the work at Invercargill and nearby places is conducted by local tutors. At Gore, where W.E.A. “ box ” courses were used tor high school groups for some years, adult groups have been formed to take courses on child psychology, war la 1940, appreciation of the arts, , ants probably another group will take ecqj, nomice. A strong committee hasbeen formed at Gore to promote other activities, including lectures. The study of the origins and issues of the present war and the outlook in world affairs has been taken up sis® at Ohai and at Riverton, where v » W.E.A. drama group also continues it* activities. .. . Otautau will probably have w war study group; Aparima is taking biology (‘Man’s Place in Nature’), ««« Lumsden experimental psychology, Easter Camp at Cromwell.

The organiser is now in Central Otago, where he and the general secret tary have met the Cromwell Committed to make final arrangements for tha Easter camp school, at which problem* of town and country are to be discussed. The lecturers are Professor R. W. Souter, Dr f, B. Sutch (secre-tary-economist to "the Minister of Finance), .and Mr A. C. Cameron (general manager of the Farmers’ Mutual Insurance Association). In addition, Mr H. H. Ferguson , is to; giV# lectures on psychology,, .. Trips to the Lakes have been an. ranged, besides drama and social activities at the camp. The Cromwell Borough Council and the local committee) are giving great assistance.

At the Haast Camp. The visiting team of W.E.A. tutor* at the Haast Pass Public' Works camp, Messrs G. H. Boyes, M.A., and G. W. Parkyn, M.A., met with a good re. sponse. (Activities at Homer and Hollyford have already been reported.) Do* spite most unfavourable weather and the lack of a suitable meeting place (aa the Y.M.C.A. hut was being moved), meetings were maintained over four weeks, and the attendances, circumstances considered, were good. Group* were formed to study the war course-, biology, and language and society, and an effort is being made to form's child psychology group among parent* at the camp. Mr Bpyes’s talks; wera mainly on heredity and aspects of so. dal psychology; he also gave aomc tuition .in the conduct of meetings. Mr Parkyn gave two series of talks—ona on the history of the British -labour movement since 1918, and the Other oja the economic position in IS ew* Zealand.

Season Opens After Easter, The regular season of classes in : town and country will open , after Easter. At Oamaru, as well ae, Dunedin and Invercargill, local part-time ..tutors arn to give courses or lectures.