ADULT EDUCATION

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 21052, 2 June 1938, Page 13

ADULT EDUCATION

New Movement in New Zealand PROPOSED CENTRE IN SOUTH CANTERBURY Not so long ago it was the thing for the boy leaving to fling his books high into the air and cry "Hurrah! Schooling days are over—no more learning for me.” For many years it was a favourite academic topic to wrangle as to just what age an individual reached before he ceased to absorb knowledge. These discussions have proven futile, for recent psychological investigation has demonstrated that an individual never ceases in his learning and that the capacity of the mind to acquire more and more knowledge is indefinite. That being so, then the question concerning the education of the adult becomes almost as important a matter to the community as that of the education of the child. “End of Education” The popular notion that systematised learning should cease with the ceasing of school days has long been discarded by thinking people and governments all over the world are facing up to the problem of adult education. But in this regard, New Zealand is sadly behind countries like Denmark. Sweden, Canada and the United States. The pioneer in the adult education movement in New Zealand has been the W.E.A., and during the past score years it has rendered distinct service to South Canterbury in its endeavours to provide facilities for the study of the social sciences. Some years ago a permanent tutor was stationed in Timaru and good work w r as being done by the movement but when their subsidy was discontinued, it had to struggle on as best it could on a parsimonious grant from the Government. Credit is due to those enthusiasts who, despite innumerable discouragements, kept the organisation alive in this district. But even the most ardent W.E.A. enthusiast will admit that chiefly from lack of funds, this organisation is a long way from developing to the full the possibilities of adult education in South Canterbury and it must be confessed that merely a fraction of the population is being touched by its activities. Interest in Adult Culture That the community is becoming alive to the value of adult education is shown by the remarkable growth of cultural and educational groups like the South Canterbury Drama League. Women's Institutes, Young Farmers’ League, drama clubs, Y.W.C.A., and Y.M.C.A. educational circles, private reading and study groups, and debating and literary clubs. The spontaneous growth of these groups within the past few years is itself an evidence of the desire for adult education. The recent inauguration of the Council for Adult Education, sponsored by the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, shows that the Government is alive to a new educational trend. The Council has been promised financial support from the Government and the University has assured the Council of its active co-operation. Just what the Council will do in the near future has not yet been disclosed, but they have stated that they await suggestions from interested groups. One suggestion which might well be put to this Council is that South Canterbury, due to its central location, its separation from a University centre, and to the number of adult education groups active in this district, would make an ideal location for the establishment of an adult education centre, on somewhat similar lines to that recently established at Feilding. Public Meeting Called A public meeting will be held tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. in the Borough Council Chambers to consider the question of adult education in South Canterbury. It is to be hoped that there will be a good attendance at that meeting, even if only to demonstrate to the Council for Adult Educa- : tion and to the Minister for Education that South Canterbury is vitally interested in the movement and that the i time is more than due for the establishment of an adult education centre in this district.