ADULT EDUCATION

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20860, 16 October 1937, Page 10

ADULT EDUCATION

NATIONAL LIBRARY SUGGESTED A national library system controlled from the Parliamentary Library in Wellington, and forwardtag books to rural libraries throughout New Zealand, was a proposal mentioned by the Minister of Education (the Hon. P. Fraser) at the Pleasant Point District High School yesterday afternoon, when he was speaking on the facilities available for adult education. The scheme would include a librarian with a knowledge of country conditions, and by sending out books, much more assistance could be given to country libraries than by subsidies. Before the election, the Rt. Hon. G. Forbes had mentioned a proposal by which libraries could be subsidised; durtag the depression subsidies had been discontinued. The Government had put £3OOO on the estimates to start a library scheme.

The question of adult education had become very Important in New Zealand in recent years, Mr Fraser stated. Apart from the W.E.A., there had been an awakening amongst women, particularly country women. Various organisations were giving women .an opportunity they never had bfeore; he would mention the Women’s Institutes, Women’s Divisions of the Fanners' Union, and the Association for Country Education. Another development was Young Farmers’ Clubs. Whenever anyone discussed a question, it led on to another, until eventually they were discussing the economy of the nation. Another matter emphasised by Mr Fraser was the desirability of having facilities in country centres such as halls, swimming baths and playing areas. There was the question of school grounds being used in the evenings by adults. “But,” he said, “it is not a good thing for any community to feel that it is gonig to have good things showered upon it. Some effort on the part of the community to help Itself is needed. It may be possible to make some country towns not only centres- for schools, but centres for adult education.”