ADULT EDUCATION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20622, 25 November 1941, Page 8

ADULT EDUCATION

PLACE OF THE LIBRARY TRIBUTE TO GISBORNE ROTARY CLUB ADDRESS A high standard of library service had been attained in Gisborne, according to a statement made by Mr. M. Nixon, teacher in charge of the Intermediate School library, in an address to the Gisborne Rotary Club yesterday, when he pointed to the need of adult education. Mr. Nixon said that the good library was a force for good in the community, but the bad library was merely a purveyor of mental drugs. Sometimes libraries failed to give the best, service because they did not have the art of publicising their wares in the same manner as the businessman had, but usually the public library was no better than the public taste. Pointing to the many complaints regarding the lack of education when people wished to point, to the origin of an evil, Mr. Nixon said that one fault of the compulsory education system was that it stopped at the age of 14 years, and so far seven years a person had to wander in the wilderness before he was of voting age. Legislation usually followed the wishes of the people, and the people should be fully educated so that their wishes would be worth while. Sources of Education Thus, there was a real need for adult education. There was no use in looking to the primary and secondary schools for it, and one had to make use of what lie saw around him. That was where the library came .in. There were other sources of adult education, such as the Workers’ Educational Association, but as these wore located in the cities they did not touch the other places to so great an extent. There was a greater need of a good library service now that we were being' influenced in our judgments without our realising it. while sometimes our prejudices were so roused that we frequently rejected what we read or heard without doing the matter justice.

The library should not be biased, and under proper control it should be free from bias. By reading one had time to think, and one secured a really sound basis of knowledge, more so than in listening to the spoken word, for the average person Absorbed only a small proportion of what lie heard. Any Book in Dominion A library rnupt supply its books and information attractively, and should help a person to follow up one’s interest, in addition to leading to other sources of information. It was possible, through the library service, for a person anywhere to secure any library book in the Dominion. Gisborne’s public library had attained a high standard, and Mr. Nixon commented on the valuable work Dr. A. L. Singer had done for it. However, the success of the library did not rely Upon Dr. Singer or on any member of the library staff but on*the public, for the library standard was only up to the public taste. On the motion of Mr. A. F. Salmon, the speaker was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. Mr. G. T. Bull occupied the chair.