WORKERS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18899, 27 June 1923, Page 10

WORKERS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

UNIVERSITY TUTORIAL CLASSES. (Contributed by the Local Branch of the AV.E.AJ At some time in its history, a movement usually makes inquiries as to its beginnings and early predecessors. It the IV.E.A. in Dunedin ever has occasion to do this, it will find that here, as in a number of other things, Dr Rutherford Waddell will have a claim to be a forerunner. The syllabus is still extant of a course of lectures on “Social Problems which he delivered in Dunedin during the winter of 1888, under the auspices of the St. Andrew’s Church Young Men’s Association. The syllabus reads: “The first lecture will be an effort to present a view of the present state of the industrial world. It will be shown that while wealth has accumulated and is accumulating at a wholly unexampled rate, the great mass of wealth producers are proportionately growing poorer; that there is not, and cannot be, under the present constitution of things, any possible improvement. Great changes are, therefore imminent —ominous symptoms that these changes may not be peaceably affected —that they may take the form of a revolution rather than an evolution. The march of concentration. Tho massing of populaiions in a few centres. The perils of great cities. A serious increase to civilisation. Mary Godwin’s ‘Frankerstein’ Subsequent lectures dealt with various solutions proposed: Co-operation and Profit-shar-ing, Socialism, its leaders, and the History of its growth from the idealistic stage of More, Bacon, Campanella, and St. Simon, through the critical prosaic stage of Fourier, Louis Blanc, and Proudhon, down to tho scientific constructive stage of Karl Marx and Lassale. Another lecture dealt with Christian Socialism, and in his final lecture of the series, Dr Waddell, after a review of the gradual evolution of industrial society, gave an attempt to forecast its future. This last lecture, in the light of what has happened since, in the intervening 35 years, would to-day make interesting reading. One is also tempted to wonder if the prophet in those days was listened to, or whether he merely suffered the fate of so many who, before and since, ' arc little needed till the events they foretold have verily come to pass. However, the W.E.A. would pay its reverence to a pioneer such as Dr Waddell, for it is undoubtedly due to the isolated efforts of social reformers such as he, that in later times a definite association for dealing with education on social problems has been established.

If a “public” such as the “Dunedin students of the W.E.A.” has a wish to know its strength, and estimate its character, no better means can be used than to have a recurrence of the social gathering of students of combined classes that was held last Saturday evening. As long as the supporters of the movement remain merely members of one class, and have no knowledge of the association itself except from the occasional remarks of the tutor, or from odd articles in the press, or through being asked to pay their shilling to join the central body,—the definite social unit comprised in the term “the Dunedin. Workers' Educational Association” gets little opportunity to realise itself. When, however, over a hundred men and women, from every walk of life, assemble for social intercourse and entertainment, the common thirst for learning in some form or other being the one point perhaps at which they converge, the association approaches visible form, and is greatly strengthened. Following on a request from the District Council, a small committee, comprising a delegate from each class in the city and suburbs, met the district organiser, and made the necessary arrangements. The cosy and attractive Somerset Lounge of the Savoy was engaged for the evening, and proved just largo enough for the number that assembled. It is interesting to note that some classes, notably Green Island, Rosiyn, and the Forth End, had a distinct majority of their total members present. No class was unrepresented, though one narrowly escaped, having only a single member present. Dr G. E. Thompson presided. l and in a short opening speech welcomed members, and spoke of the favourable position the Otago membership figures held in the statistics of the dominion movement. A programme of student “sings,” competitions, and musical and elocutionary items was then proceeded with. A special W.E.A. song-sheet was available, containing, besides such well-known favourites as “Annie Laurie” and “Sweet and Low,” an amusing round of a novel character concerning “The Animals’ Fair,” and a “ W.E.A. Song.” giving in ballad form news of the various Dunedin tutorial classes. Much interest was caused bv a competition to add an extra vers© to this song, concerning the peregrinations of the two permanent tutors, the prize for which went to a member of the Literature Class, as might be supposed. Another competition, guessing the names of New Zealand residents pinned on the back, was won by Miss Laing and Mr Harlock. who tied with eight each, while a discovery of the names of certain photos, advertisements, and flowers saw Miss Aslin the winner. Xhe programme items were from various class representatives, and included Miss Aslin iLiteiature), Mr Harlock (N.E. Valley), Mr Mayer fßoslyn), Mr Morgan (Psychology), Mrs C. M. Begg (of the Women’s Class) playing the accompaniments. After, supper the evening concluded with a vote of thanks to performers and to members of the Social Committee, followed by the singing of "Auld Lang Sync” and the National Anthem. Them seemed some ground for supposing, in the terms of social psychology, that what had started as a mere “crowd” had during the course of the evening become an “organised group.” One is tempted to think with a social so successful that the next move towards consolidating the Dunedin classes might take the form of a W.E.A. week-end. to be followed eventually by a Summer School, on the lines of those held successfully in the Homeland, and latterly in Canterbury, in our own dominion. ■The discussion on “Suggestion” was continued last week by Ibe North End W.E.A. students. This was the third point in ihe lecture on “Social Interaction,” which was given bv Mr J. Johnson. M.A., at the former meeting. The conditions to which the tutor referred as being favourable to suggestion are; (a) Those depending on personal characteristics in the poison receiving the suggestion—e.g., the non-appearance of opposing ideas, which may bo due to lack of such ideas through inexperience of youth, or lack of knowledge of the topic under discussion when the suggestion is given. Sometimes the failure of opposing ideas to rise to consciousness may be due to the rtresence of abnormal conditions, such as fatigue, or sickness, or by peculiarities in the individual. such as .lack of confidence or a feeling of inferiority, (b) Those depending on something external to him, such as the source, circumstance, and mode in which the suggestion is given. Prestige, both in individual and mass, authority and frequency count here. Members spoke upon the advisability and inadvisability of using “suggestion,” of the evil effect which may follow as is noticed to-day often emanating irom unknown or unsuspected quarters, and when and where one least thinks of being unwillingly forced into unintentional pursuits or performances. The subject is to be further discussed under “Auto-suggestion.”