NOTED VISITORS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22777, 10 July 1937, Page 17

NOTED VISITORS

main body aeeives CIVIC RECEPTION HELD VALUE OF GATHERING SESSIONS BEGIN TO-DAY The largest and most distinguished group of oversea educationists that, has vet visited New Zealand arrived at Auckland by the Mariposa yesterday from San Francisco to take part in the seventh regional conference of the Kew Education Fellowship, which opens in Auckland to-day. The visitors, who formed the main body of the lecturers at the conference, represented Great Britain, the United States, Austria and Finland. ,111 Tho party was welcomed on board the liner by representatives of the national and Auckland committees of the fellowship. A civic reception, which a' largo gathering attended, was held in the Town Hall concert chamber at noon. The visitors, with New Zealand conference officials and other overseas lecturers who had arrived earlier, were entertained at luncheon by tho professorial board of Auckland University College in the dining room at the students' building. Later they were taken for a motor drive through tho ritv and suburbs and had afternoon tea at Titirangi. A number of private parties in-their honour were held in the homes of Auckland educationists last night. The Opening Lecture The conference will open in the Town Hill at nine o'clock this morning, 'w hen Tlecture, '''The Teacher's Status, is to he delivered by Dr. 1«. ..Hart, professor of education 111 the Universitv of California. Tho six sections, or seminars, will then be opened at the Universit'v College and elsewhere Dr. Paul L. Dengler, of \ lenna, will give a public lecture entitled "Austria and the Peace of Europe" 111 the 1 own Hall A church service for members of the conference and past and present students ci" the Auckland 1 raining College will be held in St. Georges ChurchT Kanfurly lload, to-morrow founder and organising director of the Fellowship, Mrs. Beatrice Elisor, would take part in the conference and lecture in the South Island. It was announrcd yostrrdny tlint she had boon unable to make the trip. The City's Welcome

The deputv-mavor, the Hon. B. Martin. M.L.C..' speaking at the civic Reception, said that the visitors had come to New Zeal ayd from Great Britain, Europe, South Africa and America for • the purpose of discussing many aspects of education. That New Zealand had recognised the importance of the occasion was gratifying and the Government and' the educational authorities, realising its value, had taken all the ' necessarv steps to ensure that schools, colleges" and "the universities would cease normal operations in order that everybody might be presented with the opportunity of taking advantage of the ' conference. "Telling of Unpleasant Truths" "I hope that in discussing educational methods our visitors will not hesitate to tell us what might be unpleasant truths, but it will be realised that any such statements will be to the benefit, of the community," Mr. Martin added. "I think it will be accepted as correct to suggest that education should develop everything possible within us, to make ns better craftsmen and, as better craftsmen, better men. "I am one of those who have never been pessimistic about our system, but no one would suggest that it is impossible to make far-reaching improvements. These should come about as the result of the conference." Debt to the Visitors The Mayor of Onehunga, Mr. J. Park, pointed out that the Govern- ' nient was at present considering the best means of making any alterations necessary to the existing educational system, and, for this reason, the conference was taking place at a very opportune period. Appreciation of the general _ assistance which had been forthcoming in arranging for the conference was expressed by Professor T. A. Hunter, Vice-Chancellor of the University of New .Zealand and chairman _ of the national committee organising the gatherings. He referred to the heavy burden that was being placed upon the speakers in fulfilling their programmes in New Zealand and said he hoped that they would obtain some opportunity of seeing the countrv. Professor A. B. Fitt, president of the Auckland committee of the I'ellowship, spoke of the full co-operation which had been offered by Mr. Martin and the City Council in arranging for the conference. The New Zealand community might be said to bo divided into two sections so far as education was concerned, one suffering from educational complacency and the othe_r from educational discontent, he said. He hoped that the visit of the overseas authorities • would have the eflect of increasing the numbers in the latter class. A Democratic Atmosphere In reply, Bektor L. Zilliacus, of Helsingfors, Finland, chairman of the executive board of the Fellowship, said that, in coming to this part of the world, one could feel a more free and more.'democratic atmosphere. All the members of the party were at present very humble-minded. They would, perhaps, have the task of saying some unpleasant truths, but at present whatever of these remained in his head concerned the part of the world he had left behind him. "We of the central organisation are finding that a vast piece of organising - work has been undertaken in New Zealand without our lifting a finger." stated ]{ektor Zilliacus. who concluded by surveying the development of the Fellowship since its modest beginning in England in 1915. CHILDREN'S ART Wp RK IN AUSTRIA A remarkable exhibition of about 60 dra wings, paintings, lino-cuts and woodcuts executed by Austrian schoolchildren of ages from seven to 17 was . brought to Auckland yesterday by Dr. Paul L. Dengler, of Vienna, for demonstration to the members of the New Education Fellowship. The teaching of art to children by methods based on psychological and aesthetic theory has been earned on in Vienna for a number of years with extraordinary success, and the exhibition is of interest not only to teachers but also to the general public. The pictures are to be shown publicly in the exhibition room of the . Auckland Art Gallery, and it is hoped to have them hung to-dav. Dr. Dengler has also brought two sets of lantornslidos illustrating art teaching in Continental schools, and it is probable that these will be shown to members of the conference, with accompanying lectures.