W.E.A.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 14 March 1925, Page 7

W.E.A.

“The need for education in its. wide human sense, is the very centre of the modern problem. If democracy is to succeed it must bo educated; and if social reform is to succeed, it must bo by help of that energy on the gpart of the people which can only come from education and the glimpse it gives of the life awaiting, them.” — William Temple, ox-president, of the W.E.A., England. THE ASSOOIATJON. Attempts have been made in different .countries to carry education to the adults of the nation. Some of these efforts have achieved a fair measure of success. The development of. trade uninoism provided an organisation by means of which thousands of working men and women might become stimulated to take an interest in .selfculture. The idea that trade unions might co-operate with universities occurred to Mr. Mans!)ridge, and as a result the Workers’ Educational Association came into existence in England over 20 yeansi ago. Radical trade unions and the conservative University of Oxford combined in the effort to carry the benefits of higher education to the great mass of the people Many other universities followed the example of Oxford. They at least provided the opportunity if* the people desired to a,vail themselves of it.

MOVEMENT IN NEW ZEALAND. in. 1915 Mr. Meredith liad the year before come out to New South Wales to organise W.E.A. classes under the University of Sydney, came over to New Zealand, with Mr. Stewart, secretary of the W.E.A. in. New South Wales, and introduced the. movement into this Dominion. As a result of their efforts W.E.A. organisations were founded in each of the four centres, and with the cooperation. of the university colleges, classes were begun. During the war years the development of the organisation was greatly hampered, but the few enthusiasts in control felt that it would be disastrous if the new, movement was not giVen an opportunity of .showing what it. could do in normal times of peace. I heir faith has since been justified. As we now realise the war liberated strong feelings and developed unreasonable suspicions. It was; natural, therefore, that a new movement of this kind should have been, misunderstood. The more radical wing of the Labour movement looked upon it as au attempt to spike the guns of the militant unions by engaging the attention of their members in amiable djs-

missions on useless topics. Many of the employer-? conceived it as a "new meaii.S' by which radical Labour ideas and ideals were to lie iinstilled into the minds of unsuspicious workers. It was difficult for either of those groups, blinded by passion or .suspicion'. tq__see the movement for what it really i*£— an educational effort. THE AIM OF THE MOVEMENT. The aim of the movement is to interest all ,sections of the community in tlie scientific inquiry into the great problems of the day. The organisation has no gospel to preaeli. It in-

vices an classes to investigate tne problems of the day. believing that the experience of the different sections of the community will aid in the 'solution of our difficulties. This cannot be too often insisted upon; as the first Dominion' conference declared: “The W.E.A. is a voluntary organisation of men and women who are interested in the spread of education among adults. The association is strictly lionsectarian, and non-party political. The aim of the movement is to stimulate interest in all phases of education that make for the development of intelligence ami tbe up-building of character.” The constitution provides for the affiliation and representations of any body of people interested in these aims: trade unions, trade councils, co-

operative societies, social and educational societies. The fact that all these types of societies have been affiliated shows the wide appeal the organization makes. It is only for those who are certain that truth does not develop and that they alone possess it, tliat the W.E.A. makes no appeal. The W.E.A. believes in what has been described as controversial education. “The faith of the W.E.A.,” says theDirector of Studies in New South Wales, “is briefly that the extension of controversial education is the hope of the world. There are two educational policies contending for the world’s attention. They are the policies of dogmatic and controversial education. The difference' is this: Hie dogmatic educator goes to his audience with a set of opinions which he believes to be true, and to which he endeavours to convert his hearers. If he fails so to convert them, he regards himself as having failed, since his mission is to serve the extension of one particular set of opinions—his dogmas. But the controversialist also approaches his audiences with a set of opinions, but having expounded them, he encourages his hearers to criticise and discuss them, so that ultimately from this disputation shall arise a synthesis of his wisdom and theirs, which shall more nearly approach to truth because of its comprehensiveness.” This is a field where all men of goodwill can combine: only those in ignorance have got anything to lose by their association with the W.E. A.—their errors.