THE WORKERS' EDUCATIONAL MOVEMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10812, 31 January 1921, Page 2

THE WORKERS' EDUCATIONAL MOVEMENT.

Sir,“ln the news lately telegraphed to the south a member of ..the Senate is reported to hare said that in Dunedin there was a feeling among the members of extreme Labour that the workers’ educational movement was .intended to throw dust in the eyes of the workers. an man who has attended sonio of tile Workers’ classes—a worker of moderate views in daily association with many of my own class, most of whom, like myself, are anxious to improve their education and broaden, their outlook of tu attendance at night classes aitd the reading of standard works. Bit tew of us, I fear, possess a sufficient grounding in general- knowledge for the assimilation of what we hear and read.In ihy opinion much thait we hear ht the workers’ classes is crudely presented, and in consequence causes, or tends to cause, mental dietortioh. Just why economics should figure so largely in the lecture course is a mystery /to me. I am sure _ that few are able to. make head or tail, of the inttioacies of such a. difficult subject. Curiously enough the subject, I must admit has a fascination for the extreme worker. He listens with eager attention for the stray text that appeals to his peculiar bent of mind, and armed With this, perhaps divorced from its contents hp preaches to .his shop mates from morning till night. The fact is that he is merely suffering from an acute form of mental indignation. I am not prepared to challenge the , motives of the University in starting the workers’ educational movement. For my own part I look upon it as a trivial attempt, to solve a problem of supreme moment. If the intention, is to improve the mental outlook and culture of the worker, well and good, but df so then devote the lectures to history, English literature, geography and ethnolgy. • But df this is an httemp-t to stem the industrial unrest, which I must admit \does exist, then begin at the bottom and not at the top. Educate upwards and not down-

wards. Begiu with oilr boys and girls by opening the door of the University to those who are worthy. A good education can only be got by going through a systematic course of study. Apart from the polish which this certainly imparts, it ought to stimulate mental discipline. That is mv ’own view and perhaps, I may be wrong. Tam a worker and have no wish to be anything else, but I should like to see an equal opportunity to the children of all. This is my first letter to the Press, an all too long screed you will doubtless say. My apology is that while the views of extreme Labour and extreme Capital arc daily proclaimed from the housetops the views and aspirations of Labour are unknown. Like most workers over middle age, I have travelled in many lands and though now a miner have followed many manual occupations, arid I my claim in my half century of arduous labour to hove mot as many of my fellow workers as most men. My experience is that the majority of workers are men of moderate views, loyal to their fellows, but withal retiring and unassuming, and for the most, part dumb dogs and inarticulate. If you will permit me I may some day tell you where he travels, what he reads and generally what he thinks of the everyday affairs of life. SIMON TEMPLAR.