WORKERS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18723, 29 November 1922, Page 4

WORKERS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION

UNIVERSITY TUTORIAL CLASSES. (Contributed by (be Local Branch of (he AV.E.A.) 1 SUMMER SCHOOLS. | A recent copy of The Highway, the ; monthly paper issued by the AV.E.A. of Circa I Britain, contains information concerning several summer schools being held in . various parts of the United Kingdom. , The AV.K.T.U.C. Scottish Division orga- , insert a Week-end School at Oreity Hall Farm, near Loch Lomond, for August 2G-28. Tho number of applications cxceedsd the accommodation by about 100 per cent, and it was ultimately decided to have two weekends, tho W.i’j.A. contributing the difference in cost between the original estimate agreed to by the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation and the actual cost. The second school was held at the U.C.B.S. Camp, Rothesay. Altogether 2G members of the conferation at- ; . tended, drawn from Glasgow, Bellshill, Mosscnd, Coatbridge, Airdrie, and Motherwell. At each school W. H. Marwick, ALA., gave three lectures on “Psychology and Society,” followed, by discussion which usually exceeded the allotted hour by a considerable margin. ; The first lecture described the principles of modern psychology—the points of distinction bstween the “old” and the “new, 1 with a warning not to make too much of the distinctions; the- second with the. principal factors in social psychology—instincts, emotion, etc., as raw material variable and .capable of being developed, modified or thwarted by the physical and social environment; and the third with the psychological basis of society, and of , many forms of social activity. He indicated the phychologicai basis offy the classical economics, of Hobbes's autocracy, cf justification of aris- # toe racy, of modern propaganda through suggestibility of the mass; war and tlie "m stinct of pugnacity,” ‘and spoke of the application of psychological method to education, industry, medicine, problems of crime and punishment,, and politics. i A remarkable feature of the school was tne keen discussion at all sessions of the social psychology of trade unionism—particularly the motives actuating the workers’ attitude of support, opposition, and indifference; its successes and its iailurea —war, industry, sport, gambling, etc., all drawn from and illustrated by the experience- of the students in their everyday life at home, in the workshop, branch, etc. The most hopeful outcome of the discussion was the feeling that human nature was not a, fixed immutable t thing, but could be consciously influenced and changed by human effort. The second Summer School at Bristol was an unqualified success. The subjects arranged for were "Human Geography” (Ali'% AV. \V. Jervis, AI.Sc.), “Psychology" (Rev. E. C. Childs), "Literature” _ (Dr P. j Howarth, ALA.), and “Economics” (Air ; Hubert Phillips, M.A.). Tho school was j well attended, over 3!) students being present each week. Canynge Hall was placed j at the disposal of the school by the Uniyer- | sity of Bristol, as was also the playing ; field at Stoke Bishop. Alany classes were held in tho grounds of the Royal 1* ort. Several attractive evening lectures,’ with demonstrations, were arranged at tire unriersity. Excursions to Avonmouth Docks, Clifton Gorge, and an outing by char-a-banc to Portishead, Clevcdon, and AVeston-supei-Alare added greatly to the enjoyment of the school. The opening address of the president (Dr C. Lloyd. Morgan, F.R.S.), on 'iha Art of Thinking.” and his subsequent lec- : Hires on "Memory,” were very much ap- , predated, as was also his to , the musical programme at the final smg- ; song and fancy dross dances, 1 Two schools on similar lines to the above are being held in New Zealand this summer. The Auckland Association is having one in the Avondale South School, at Blockhouse Bay, a beautiiul site- on Manakau - Harbour, lasting for- a week from December 25 to January 2, to suit tho convenience of workers whose only holiday falls at that time. Women students are to use the rooms of the school for accommodation purposes, while the men are to live under canvas; a cook is being engaged to cook for central meals. The cost tor the week will be 37s 6d for full board and lodging, and 25s for any providing his own camping , equipment. A lecture and discussion wid be held each morning and evening, and the intervals will be tilled up by concerts and , excursions. j Nearer home, tho Canterbury movement ; will hold a school under the leadership of I Professor Shelly, at Leithlield, 2i miles north of Christchurch. This place is on tho seabeach, and can be easily readied j from Christchurch either by rail, or directly j by a motor car service. The men are to ■ live in a camp, while a large residence m ' the ■ district has been kindly lent for the accommodation of women students, and families may well be able to camp together in clctse proximity to tho residence. -a. ■ community dining marquee will bo erected, in which all students will ’ assemble for meals. The cost per week per student will bo £2, and for single days, 8s per day; families making their own arrangements tortents, etc., will b-e charged £1 5s per week for an adult, and 10s per child, under 14. Tho summer school is becoming increasingly popular thus for families, and this ar- j rangement allows many lo come who other- j wise would not bo able. The subject for j the course will be the ethical, phychologicai, 1 and economic ba-ses of democracy, while -sup- j plementary classes wilj be tornxed in -soci- , ology and psychology, economics, and pohti- . cal science, literature and drama, and edu- I cation. The information paper that has j been issued announces, ”a new world for two j weeks!” and this seems most likely to eventuate, judging by the adequate arrangements that are being made, and tho educational leaders that will he present. The conference is lo '-ontinuo from December 2t> to January 0, but anyone may go for half the school, or a shorter interval. Teachers ; will find such a gathering as this of great , interest, as well as AV.E.A. members and j any that happen to be in Canterbury at the | holiday season will find it well worth their | while to pay this community experiment a visit. Otago workers who intend going may get further information from their tutors, or by ringing No. 7115.