SCHOOL AS A COMMUNITY CENTRE

Southland Times, Issue 23693, 16 December 1938, Page 13

SCHOOL AS A COMMUNITY CENTRE

Towards A Better Way Of Life

(SPECIALLY WRITTEN FOR THE SOUTHLAND TIMES)

By

J. E. STRACHAN, M.A.

Our general attitude towards schools is something like this. We must have schools for our children, so approve of their being set up and paid for out of taxes. We send the boy to primary school because he is old enough to go. He must be educated; anyway, it is compulsory, as it should be. If we can afford it we send him to High School or “Tech,” so that he may get a better chance in life. When we have got all the children through the schools we have done our duty, and are grateful to the schools for doing theirs. There is nothing more we expected of them and nothing more they can do for us. In some parts of the world, however, people are asking a far greater service of the schools; and they are getting it. The whole community is using the school. “Grown-ups” are attending its classes and clubs, using its library, its workshops, its playing fields, and its theatre. Local institutions are affiliating themselves with the school and looking to it to help them solve some of their problems. The school has become the local parliament, the civic planning institute, the research bureau, and the recreational centre. In it the , people are relaxing from the business of making money to learn again the art of living. Incidentally, the children are getting a much better education. ADULTS CAN LEARN . Several factors are contributing to the new development of the school. There is, for example, the discovery, thoroughly authenticated, that adults are quite as well able to learn as children—better able, in many respects. Following this is the very practical consideration that the modern school with its fine equipment is only working half-time. There has been much public expenditure in the schools, and, under the usual conditions, this means a lot of idle capital. But the real drive of the movement comes from a new conception of the scope and power of education. In a sense this is not a new discovery nor a new movenient. Every great liberating movement in history has begun in, and spread from, some small community centred upon a school. We have only to think of the | civilizing influence of the Greek schools of Athens and Alexandria, or of how the schools of Florence began the great awakening that set a period to the dark ages. Almost in our own time we have seen the liberation of a nation through the influence of the Danish Folk Schools. Now, as in the days that preceded these revivals, men and women are being frustrated in their search for happiness by conditions that they feel unable to control. In the face of the perils, the uncertainties, and the insecurity of life, they may be indignant, but they feel they can do nothing about it. Adverse I forces are too great for them. These things are begetting a slayishness of mind that only the liberating force of a great educational revival can cure. Now, as then, the flame is being lit by a few enthusiasts and carried by others who have opportunity to travel and see what is happening. These people are making no pretence of being able to set the world right. That may be in their dreams. But what they do say and believe is they know where to begin—in the “here” and "now” of little communities.

LEARNING TO LIVE OR LIVING TO LEARN?

It is probably too early to say what is the philosophy of the communitycentred school, or the school-centred community; but some few elements of a creed may be seen in their practice, as, for example,' that education is something more than a preparation for living. Education is rather the end of living; we live in order that we may go on being educated, and so education is seen as recreation —or re-crea-tion. In the school with this wider outlook it is difficult to see where recreation ends and sericus education, if there is a difference, begins. Certainly there are classes in which the members, young and old, are learning a useful craft, perhaps with a vocational end, but one feels that the real objective is to master something, not a craft merely, but something in their circumstances that is limiting their freedom. So education and vocation may be assimilated and raised to the level of a fine art, which, in group activities, amounts to nothing less than the re-creation of the community life. This is the manner in which the community centre goes about its work. In the first place it offers everyone in the community the , facilities of the school, for education, vocational training, health, or recreation. This offer extends to any local institutions that are already established with these ends in view; for example, the Plunket Society, the women’s institutes, athletic and physical instruction clubs, the Workers’ Educational Association, the local churches, dramatic and musical societies, and so on. Other clubs or associations may be formed as the need for them is felt. Similarly, the demand for adult eduction of a more instructional kind is met by organizing short courses, evening classes, or lectures sessions.

THE LIFE ABOUT THE SCHOOL An important part of such work is an extended use of the school libraries. Children and adults are encouraged to take good books home to read and enjoy. If the library equipment runs to reproductions of good pictures—as for example, the Carnegie Collection—or of musical records, these may similarly be used in the homes for short periods. Of course, under such a system these things will wear out; but surely the best way to conserve wealth is to transmute it into something imperishable. The next effort should be to improve the conditions of life in the district. This involves a good' deal of inquiry into local history, the natural resources of the district, the “what” and “how” of local industry, facilities for recreation and social conditions generally. Some of our schools carry on this kind of survey work systematically and, in fact, derive their whole curriculum from it. They find in the local life and organization a good cross-section of modern civilized society, the activities of which are the main concern of formal education. DISCUSSION, INQUIRY, DEMONSTRATION A good school will have some facilities for following up the survey by way of elementary research into local industrial or social problems and should certainly be in a position to supply information and to demonstrate the results of research carried out by better equipped institutions. One way of approach to such service has been found in the "forum” discussions of American community centres. A group of “experts” discusses the problem from all sides before an audience. This is usually more effective and much

I more natural than the rather artificial .two-sided debate. I The encouragement of hobby clubs for the pursuit of some art or craft can scarcely be looked upon as a separate activity; but it may lead to the development of some distinctive local art or industry. This at least has been the experience in other places. The promotion of occasional exhibitions, pageants, and musical, dramatic, or other festivals can be looked upon as . community centre’s way of reporting I progress. These will serve at the same jtime as co-ordinating activities and opportunities for all to enjoy to the | full the new and vigorous community ! life. Some of these are likely enough ;to become distinctive reactions which should be altogether favourable. The success of such a community enterprise depends partly upon organization, but mainly upon its appeal to the community itself. That is the real test. Can it awaken enthusiasm? Will I the people feel that it is worth while to associate themselves and their institutions in the movement? And in the first place, will it discover leadership? After all, it is leaders that are wanted, not tutors. Formal instruction such as may be given by pro-fessionally-trained teachers of the schools is the least part of such an enterprise. Recreational education of the kind appropriate to a community movement of this sort is mainly selfeducation in social groups under leaders drawn from the groups. Some administrative organization will be necessary, of course; but it need not be elaborate. There is probably a fulltime job for a director and a small clerical staff; but the community itself should be able to do the rest.

A THREAT AND A HOPE I am myself persuaded that this is the most heartening social movement of our day. Something of the sort is needed to raise the tone of our national life. The shocks we have suffered in recent years have been too much for most of us. The marks of demoralization are all top evident. This feeling of helplessness in the face of I what is happening in the world, this creeping paralysis, this liability to sudden panics, this passive acceptance of the inevitability of catastrophe—what are these but symptoms showing how we have slipped in physical, mental, and moral stamina? At the moment we are afraid of the growing prestige of the totalitarian state. This is no place to discuss political theories, nor do I wish to do so; but I will at least express the conviction that the threat, if such exists, is not to our armed forces but to our social organization and ultimately to our way of life. Has Germany found a better way of life? We think not, but we have still- to prove it; and in setting out to do so we shall remember that the wave of invigorating enthusiasm that is sweeping over Germany is promulgated through an educational movement. Indoctrination? Yes, that may be Germany’s way. It need not be , ours. Discovery, restoration ->f the grounds of faith, re-creation, physical, mental, and spiritual—that is surely our better way. Is it too much to expect that a social movement such as I have tried to describe may, as it becomes wider in its sweep, set a period to our too joyless age of confusion and defeat?