W.E.A.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20000, 16 July 1920, Page 6

W.E.A.

NEWS AND NOTES. UNIVERSITY EXTENSION s CLASSES. e “ And as lie bad acquired absolutely, nothing about political economy or about logic, and was'therefore at the mercy of the first agreeable sophistry that might take his fancy by storm, his unfitness to commence business of being a citizen almost reaches perfee- ’ turn.”—Arnold Bennett, “ GJayI hanger.” ' The attendance at last Saturday J . evening’s popular lecture was very dis- ’ appointing, even when liberal allowance is. made for the very unfavourable weather conditions. Mr C. St John very ’ I bravely faced the multitude of empty ' chairs that greeted him, but it is too I I much to expect that busy men have 11 leisure to indulge in the pastime of ' | addressing the furniture in the W.E. A JI classroom The general apathy of all but a very insignificant number of , j people has caused many a would-be I reformer to develop cynical tendencies ■ j or else strong inclinations to apostasy, 1 and although those who remain faithful to the religion of democracy re- ‘ gar cl their weaker brethren as traitors J to “ the cause,” one can bearthy ■ sympathise with those who find the , light beyond their powers of endurance. Tno trite, the puerile, and the maudlin count their devotees by the thousands 1 Any inanity j whether it be in religion, 1 art or politics, is certain of even ephemeral popularity, and its chances 1 of a long and prosperous existence is in direct ratio to its stupidity and genera! banality. As Holbrook Jackson has pointed out, the average man would sooner suffer any indignity than ' promenade the streets in a pair *>f shoddy boots or a second-hand suit, 1 but it does not hurt his intellectual 1 pride to inflict upon you his shoddy ’ thoughts or his second-hand opinions, ns long as they happen to lie fashionable. An individual garbed in the picturesque dishabille of pre-historic ' times would find himself the ob ject of contempt and ribald jests; lot him furnish his mind with the superstitions and the pitiable musings of the ancients, ho will be the object of deification, and temples anyl obelisks will for ever perpetuate the memory of his charlatanism. History is one long record of the triumph of the insolent ursupers of human reason over the, ftoblc and valorous bearers of the torch of truth-great souls like Socrates, Roger Bacon or Bruns. The ineptitudes of tho mendacious, the deluded and the leprous-minded have, been devoured with unanimity and avidity; the thoughts ol the great teachers provided provender for tho few, but their thoughts, beautiful and heroic, have failed dismally to permeate into the minds of the multitude, who rather provided the faggots, to consume them that no longer they should disturb tht-ir peace of mind with their dangerous and unnatural reveries. The past still holds mighty sway over tho future, and it is the object of such an institution as the Workers’ Educational Association to endeavour to create * new value of things; to secure an audience for the great thoughts and the wonderful discoveries and speculations upon which the new democracy must bo based. Tho old has had the ages to justify itself, let tho new have a chance to demonstrate its great promises. There is much that makes for pessimism., but that ceaseless “urge” that has prompted man to orogress even when tho dungeon, the stake or social ostracism appeared as the only reward of his venturing into unforbulden territory, leaves some margin of hope, that Pascal’s wonderful aphorism that “ the whole succession of men during so many ages should be considered as One Man, ever living and constantly learning,” will prove" something more than,a beautiful thought. A correspondent writes to inquire regarding the summer schools which were mentioned in this column some time ago. Mr J. B. Condliffo. M.A., in his report on the. University and the AV.E.A. deals with this matter, and I can do no better than quote his passage dealing with the summer schools movement:— •There _ are in England two main types of summer schools, corresponding to the extension and tutorial class movements.. To the former great numbers of people are attracted; the meeting is hold alternately at Oxford ■and Cambridge, and lasts a fortnight. The normal procedure is to take a particular country and arrange a series of popular lectures on various aspects of its geography, history, literature, etc For instance, hi 1918. the country studied was tho United States, and lectures were given by various eminent people such as the American Ambassador, on subjects such as “George Washington,” “ The American Poets,” etc- The tutorial class summer schools are open to approved members of tutorial classes only and do not attract big crowds. The schools usually last about six weeks, during which time students and tutors go into residence together for periods varying from a week to the whole six weeks: but usually for a fortnight. The oldest established school is hold at Ballio! College by tho Oxford Tutorial Glasses Committee; but there are also wcll-establiabed schools at Cambridge and Bangor, -while last year tho Yorkshire AV.E.A. organised a very successful school at Saltburn-hy-the-Sea. This sx'hool was held under conditions that very nearly approach our own. The essential feature of summer schools of this character is that students and tutors reside together for a time, preferably within the walls Of the University. Each morning there is a lecture which all students attend, and specified hours are set apart for study and essaywriting. But the most important part ' of the teaching is given by tutorial : ■work. Each tutor has two or three students allotted to him for direction, and these small groups discuss essays i or books freely. The student in this way lias an. opportunity of pursuing a, few weeks’ intensive study in a sub- ; ject which he has taken during the i rear in his tutorial class. Particularly , useful is tho opportunity given for 1 training the best tutorial class students to become leaders of study circles and ■ preliminary classes. ,