W.E.A.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12082, 10 August 1917, Page 8

W.E.A.

(Bj IDEALIST.) Christen urch Centre.—President v Mr H- D. Acland; secretary, Mr J. B. Struthers; assistant honorary secretary, Mr L. G. Whitehead, Boys' High School. Tutorial Classes.—Monday, Social Hygienic Class. 7.30 p.m.; Economics (KiceartonL 7.30 p.m. Wednesday, Historv, 7.30 p.m. Thursday, Psychology. 7.30 p.m. Second and last Monday in every month, class for Study of "international Relations." Rooms.—Trades Hall, Gloucester Street. Saturday evenings—Popular lectures.

A bright, vigorously written littlo paper, "The People's College Tsews,' with tho slogan'"for tho education, of the workers by the workers," prints the following very powerful appeal for a more idealistic educational system :-- "We believe in the right of ©very man and woman to live and know tho joy of living; to work with hand and brain and "Ami joy in the doing; \n possess in peaoe the fruits of their labour. We believe in the boys and girls, the men and women of a great) to-morrow, and in their right, to laughter, to love, to growth in full freedom and happiness. We believe in oduon<tion and the open dooi to life, as tho foundation stone of progress, democracy, freedom. Wo believe in education free, from bondage to superstition or tradition, free from Theocracy, Aristocracy, or Plutocracy, fros to teach the truth. We believe in education whoso keynote is servicv, not prciit, tho education which will herald tho day when there shall bo no exploiter and no exploited, no master and no slave, but only free men—only one great class—the workers of the world. Wo believe in the right of evory man, every woman, ovjery child, to tho education which "ill mean equal opportunity to nil, which-' -will open the door to life, complete, free, joyous."

The notion that the Workers' Educational Association is nothing more than an asylum for pedants, mystical Utopian sohjiMHTs and miscellaneous scioloists and drivellers, may seem a very satisfactory idea to hold by thosd peculiar folk who believo that a cursory acquaintance with tho " three R\s" is sufficient to meet tho pedagogical requirements of all sa,ve a, fow privileged ones, hut of courso such an idea is ridiculously untrue. The W.E.A. has emphasised that side of education which Ruskiu has described ns belonging to the "great arts" and the "' groat wisdoms," and those who are qualitiod to judge this policy ha.ro never questioned the necessity nor the worth of such instruction. But although realising thq value of an academical training, it. has not, been blind to the fact that the more practical or utilitarian sid 0 of education must also receive close ■scrutiny, and though primary and technical instruction lie 'outside, the boundaries of the association's cietivitios, the W.E.A., recognising tho supreme importance of these matters, is over anxious to assist in tho attainment of much-uceded refoiTrs. ]t has been suggested that tho W.E.A. could assist the cause, of educational reform bv convening a conference of teachers and others interested in tho project to lay before the Minister of Education, who, it is hoped, will be ahl 0 to attend, suggestions for tho materialisation of better things. A suitable date for holding such a gathering won Id be on October 6, when Dr Thacker- has been scheduled to deliver a lecture on ''Technical Education in the United States." It is proposed that, tho conference should meet in the afternoon, and there can bo no gainsaying the fact that if such a. mooting of educationalists could be arranged, something more than empty rhetoric and the propounding of futile schemes would result. The W.E.A. secretary, who is chiefly responsible for the conference proposa.l, lias been busily engaged discovering the attitude of those who are most cono'irned with education, and ho states that ho has received a very sympathetic answer from most of them, and it is practically certain that should tho Minister of Education consent, to bo present one of the. most important and profitable gatherings held in thei Dominion will eventuate. The statement appearing in tho. daily papers to the effect that th« Hon J. A. Hanan. had decided definitely to attond the, proposed • conference has now been authenticated bv n telegram which has been received from l)r Thackcr, who states that; it is very probable that tho Minister will attend.

No definite subject, has yet boon decided on tor the coming debate between the lot a) ,'ind tho Riecarton AV.lv. A. classes, but it. ha* been proposed Unit, the conclusions arrived at. at the Paris conference by the Allied lenders would not. only provide a. plethor.'i. of contentions material, iiut. tb;it it, voukl also excite. ;i, considerable amount- of interest, iimong student:, of economic matters if the problems and tho difficulties raised by this epi-eh-making gathering wero threshed out.

Mr J. B. Strut hers, general secretary, ,iiid ,Mr 1./. Walker have been conducting ;i. campaign iimong the various unions, their idea being to not. only strengthen the membership of the association but. also to assist in relieving its finances. They have been greeted with the greatest cordiality, and sceptical unionists have always been converted when given an opportunity to visit, the of the association. '■Several delegates from various labour organisations have been appointed to the W.E.A. (.'ouncil and the number of subscriptions that have been received are. additional testimony to the. fart that, organised labour is at last recognising the possibilities that lie in the "W.IC.A. movement for the achieving of iiiisov of i's cherished Ideals. Unfortunately tho great, rank and file of tho workers are not only contentedly oblivious to the existence of any such organisation as the Workers' Educational. Association, but they pooh-pooh tho 'dea that education is worth tho Kacrilice and trouble it involves.

Saturday evening should again see a Tory large attendance at tho Trades Hail, when Mr R K. Stark will give the concluding lecture of his present series on- "Light." " Phosphorescence and Fluorescence " will he dealt with, and as Iho city electricaT engineer has some entertaining experiments to show and quite a lot of interesting aud valuable information to give, his. last effort should prove as attractive and as instructive as his previous addresses have been, and he should ho amply rewarded for the time and trouble-he has expended in preparing this course of lectures, by being welcomed by a largo attendance. Tho lecture will commence at eight o'clock and is open to tho general public free of charge.

PSYCHOLOGY CLASS. There wan a. fair attendance at the Psychology Class last Thursday evening, when Mr L. G. Whitehead, M.A., finished his leetun on tho "Freedom of the "Will." The tutor stated that the majority of psychologists were forced to concede the truth of the position taken up by diterminists, but ho himself rejected their interpretation of the matter, believing that if the determinist position was accepted it would lead to fatalism. Ho instanced this by referring. <yo the chaotic condition nnd tho dismal conceptions of most Eastern peoples. The position taken up. by Mr Whitehead was generally accepted by the class, which after the tutor's address debated tho question with tho same vigour and discernment which characterise- all these. debates. Tho public are always welcome at this ciasa.