WORKERS' EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22546, 13 April 1935, Page 5

WORKERS' EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION

DISTRICT COUNCIL The first meeting of the year of the District Council of the Workers' Educational Association was held on April 5. The following resolution was passed: " That, at this first meeting for 1935 of the District Council of the W.E.A. of Otago and Southland, the council express and record on its minutes its sorrow at the death of its valued member, Mr W. M. Bradley, who has so long and so faithfully served its interests, in various capacities, as student in its classes, as member of the District Council and of the Tutorial Class Committee, and as secretary. He was an enthusiastic member of the association from its inception; from 1923 to 1920 he acted as hon. secretary of the District Council, and from 1926 to 1935 he has been a most efficient secretary of both the District Council and of the Tutorial Class- Committee. His unfailing courtesy, and his kindness of heart have endeared him to every member with whom he has come in contact, and without exception every member will mourn his loss. He himself frequently said that he would die in harness, and he continued in the active service of his office almost till the eve of his death. His loss will be long felt by the whole association, and all its members join in recording their sorrow by this motion."

The District Council discussed at length the principles involved in carrying on the secretarial and administrative work of the W.E.A. this year. In view of the fact that somewhat unusual experience and qualifications were desirable in the secretary of the District Council, definite action was deferred for the time being; efforts, however, would be made to ensure the appointment of a suitable person at the earliest opportunity. MODERN COMMERCIAL ART.

In the second lecture of the short series on " Art and the Community," Mr Gordon Tovy dealt with some aspects of modern commercial art, and in particular with the advertising poster, which he compared to the mural decorations of the artists of the Renaissance. To be effective, commercial art, he said, must stick close to the people, so that tirt applied to commerce might bring about a revival in the art of our academies just as successfully as did the art of the Renaissance. Drawing illustrations from posters published in various countries, .Mr Tovy showed how the speed of modern life made necessary the use of posters of simplified form, which made a strong and direct appeal. The effective poster had to be vital and brief. Mr Tovy made a plea for the local commercial artist, who could be encouraged to formulate designs that would appeal to our own people. By this means they might e'jen have a private Renaissance of thoir own, even though only on a small scale.

MONEY. It is widely believed to-day that the economic disorders from v/lrich the whole world has been suffering for several years are in large measure due, or at least much intensified or complicated by errors in money or credit policy. Some would go further than this, and defend the view that the depression was an exclusively monetary phenomenon, and that ' permanent or satisfactory recovery was possible only if radical changes were made in the currency system. With a view to ascertaining how much truth there is in these beliefs, the programme of the economics class, which will begin its work after Easter, will deal solely with money. So much has been written about money in recent years, and there have been so many important changes in currency policy and banking practice in many parts of the world, that it is difficult to discover any single book which will sers'e as an adequate basis for discussion. BROADCASTING. Members of the W.E.A. will note with interest the appointment to the new Broadcasting Board of MrW. H. Cocker. In addition to the other qualificaticns which the newspapers have already published, Mr Cocker has for many years been closely connected with the W.E.A. in Auckland, where he was for a time president. On several occasions he has been a successful director of the annual Summer School. The incredibly rapid growth of broadcasting during the last 20 years obviously creates an entirely new situation for those who are interested in guiding public opinion. DictaI tors in Europe have readily appreciated I the value of the new medium, and in Russia, Germany, and Italy the radio sot is one of the most powerful propagandist instruments at their disposal. It has yet to be proved whether such obvious propaganda as they resort to may not in the long run defeat its own object; but members of the W.E.A., who believe that civilisation in any real and full sense is impossible without the freedom which democracy is designed to ensure, will nevertheless be anxious that the potentialities of broadcasting should be fully explored with a view to ensuring a full and fair presentation of all points of view. Experience has already , shown that the ordinary man responds readily to broadcasting programmes which include this among their objectives.