WORKERS' EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18562, 24 May 1922, Page 6

WORKERS' EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

UNIVERSITY TUTORIAL CLASSES. (Contributed by the Dunedin Branch of the W.E.A.) NOTES Last week the new branch of the association at - Oamaru was duly inaugurated. For a start there will be two classes of a fundamental nature. One is in English literature under Mr F. Milner. M.A., while the other will take a series of studies in sociology, economics, and political science, entitled “National Welfare in New Zealand,” under the Dunedin tutor, Mr J. Johnson. At the opening lecture,, last Wednesday. • his Worship the Mayor of Oamaru, Mr J. M'Diarmid, presided over a very good attendance (despite a wet evening), comprising representatives of all types of citizens:- The ensuing discussion was unusually keen for a new class, and the success of the class seems assured. The tutor appreciated his kindly reception in Oamaru.

A new venture in the shape of a winter school has just been held at Hokitika under the auspices of the West Coast Branch of the W.E.A. assisted by the Canterbury Expansion League. Professors Shelley and Condliffe, of Christchurch, were in charge, and Mr H. Belshaw, M.A., the local tutor, acted as secretary. The subject taken was “Agriculture,” and three agricultural instructors and several leading Canterbury farmers came, over from Christchurch. News, indicates the s’chool as a great success. It is hoped lo insert a full report later. The University class in Economics —which has just Completed a second three-years’ course —has had some valuable subjects of study. During its six years of existence it has studied “The Principles of Economics,” “Some Modern Problems—Social, Industrial, Economic, and Political,” “The Financial and Political Problems After the War,”

“Social Economics,” “Industrial Organisation and Economic Welfare,” and , “The Modern .State in Its Social Economic and Political Relations.” One can easily imagine a less learned tutor than Archdeacon Woodthorpe running “dry” during such a course, the scope and variety of \vhich has not been attempted by any other class in the dominion.

With the opening of the Oamaru branch the movement has now spread right throughout Otago, from Invercargill to Oamaru, with classes also in between at Gore, Cluthe, and Milton. The association is now prospecting Otago Central. Tutors. are . not available here yet, but Professor Pringle has kindly offered to give a lecture; in Alexandra and possibly Roxburgh during the University vacation, end following on this it is hoped to try some, experimental work in the way of study circles meeting weekly to discuss typed lectures posted up from Dunedin, each under a local chairman. One of the Dunedin tutors may then travel up occasionally to solve knotty points. A most interesting form of society has been formed by the Oxford. branch of the League of Nations Union. It takes the’ form of an open forum, for the discussion of . International questions, and is really a League of Nations in itself, as its members represent .35 different nations, though no member is bound by the views of his home government. Among others, Russia, the Irish Free State, and New Zealand are represented as nations. The educational influence .of such a body is incalculable. We commend the idea to Otago University and the Dunedin branch of the League of Nations Union. If insufficient real racial- or national members of the various nations, are missing certain New Zealanders could surely act for a nation in order to make such an assembly. Students will ere this have noticed the cards which, bv the Courtesy of the City Council and the Tramways Department have been hung in tramcars to make the movement better known. The council has clone its part; it remains for W.E.A. members now to do theirs. When in the trams, they should draw their friends’ notice to the placards, and give further details regarding the actual classes ahd the subjects studied, and thus spread the good work.

A meeting of the Dominion Council of W.E.'A. was held last week in Christchurch, when delegates from the four centres were present. The secretary reported that the' dominion, constitution had now beerT ratified by the four district councils. Thip gave absolute freedom to districts to develop in their own way, and for tjie funds donated to the council to be divided equally amongst; the four centres. The movement in the dominion was now showing great activity ; five permanent tutors were working, with another just waiting for finance to warrant his/ appointment. The expansion into the country Was on right lines, seeing New Zealand was an agricultural country. Opposition to the movement was gradually being overcome, and all that was- needed now was to remove' the idea that an educational body had any right to inquire into the political faith of any of the staff employed—provided . that the staff possessed the necessary qualifications to teach the subjects for which they had been appointed.

WHAT IS ANTHROPOLOGY? In the study of social science, the origins of society, and the social relations of primitive man, more and more, tends to be given the science of anthropology. , This has been described as-“the whole'history of man as fixed and pervaded by the idea of evolution.”. Anthropology stduies man as he occurs at all known times. It studies him as he occurs in all known parts of the world. It really takes its start from Darwin. Though hitherto the science has devoted most of its attention to the peoples of simple culture, either savages (as we call them) or those of primitive times; yet it seeks to trace the evolutionary principle running right through history, for all men, civilised and savage, present and past. Thus the material anthropology works on is the description of the racial characteristics of mankind (ethnography), and their mental and physical differences (ethnology). A necessary part of the equipment therefore is a museum. In Dunedin, Mr H. D. Skinner, the anthropology lectured- (who by the way is the speaker next Saturday night at the University), has his headquarters in the Hocken Library at the King street Museum. There is an excellent small text book on anthropology in the Home University Series, now also getting rapidly out of print, though being republished in the United States.