W.E.A.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20042, 3 September 1920, Page 6

W.E.A.

UNIVERSITY EXTENSION GLASSES. “It is no idle pastime to body forth an ideal, on tho contrary, wo should have an ideal world to-morrow if a sufficient number of people could bo got to imagine it. The one great obstacle to progress is tho sluggishness of the human imagination.”--William Al-cher. Tutorial Classes.—City Tuesday, Public Speaking. Wednesday, Economics.Thursday, English Literature. liic. carton—Monday, Ejghsh Literature. Redcliffs—Thursday, History. Sydenham—Thursday, Economics. “ Literature ns Literature.” will bo the subject of Mr W, D. Andrews’s address on Saturday evening, at the Trades Hall. Mr Andrews is a delightful speaker, and tho large audience that is assured will receive ample recompense for their attendance. The address will commence at 8 p.m., and the general public arc cordially invited to attend. 'Hie annual conference of the W.E.A. which was held in Wellington last week, marked a very distinct period in tho history of the movement, in tho Dominion. For six years the W.E.A. has been battling on, mastering one difficulty to find a score to take its place. To-day the association is still fighting valiantly for a place in the sun, but the indications suggest that the founders of the movement arc at least within measurable distance of seeing their creation emerge from its nascent stragglings to take its place with tho greatest institutions of tho country. Certainly no grander ideal than that embodied in Hie W.E.A. lias taken shape in the twentieth century, when the virus of materialism, at least ns far ns the social life is concerned, threatened to exterminate our last vestige of tho centuries’ heritage of idealism, and the spirit which animates the movement is slowly diffusing itself amongst the large band of working-class students who find in tho W.E.A. a means of realising their loftiest ambition of partiepating freely in the intellectual treasures of tho world. Tho Wellington conference, realising that the movement had outgrown its infancy, spent most of its time in discussing a now constitution to enable the organisation to bo more effective next year. The following is a summary ot the provisional constitution adopted;— “The W.E.A. is a voluntary organisation of men and women who are interested in tho spread of education among adults. " Tho aim of the movement is to stimulate interest in all those phases of education that make for the development of intelligence and tho upbuilding of character, but the W.E.A. will not organise classes for merely vocational training, nor will it undertake work in any subject in which suitable provision is already made for the education of adults in that subject by other educational institutions. The work is carried out by means of lectures, tutorial classes, and study circles, and hr such other means as the district councils, with the approval of the Dominion executive may from time to time determine. “The W.E.A. in New Zealand shall do organised as follows:--‘‘Dominion organisation: (1) Dominion Convention. (2) Dominion Council. "'Strict orrmnisntion: (1) District Conference. (2) District Council. (3) Local committees. ANNUAL DOMINION CONVENTION. “ A Dominion Convention shall be Mold annually in a centre to bo detcrmmm. uy the convention at its annual meeting. Tne following persons shall be entitled to attend tho convention: nepresentatives of tho District Coun.cih, local branches, joint committees, Education Department, University Senate, Professorial Hoards, University College Councils, Education Board, local bodies, School Committee Associations, ot organisations of secondary sclioyls and primary schools, of trade councils and other bodies affiliated to the District Councils, individual members of the W.E.A., students and exstudents of W.E.A. classes, and representatives of any other organisation interested m tho spread of adult education. *' I be purposes of the convention shall lie as follows: (a) To provide a meeting ground for all people interested in adult education; (b) to educate public opinion in and stimulate enthusiasm for adult education; (c) to give an -opportunity for the discussion ot educational problems of national importance; (d) to provide a means by which tho results of the deliberations of the convention may be brought before Parliament, the University, and the public through the Dominion Council; (e) to elect the president for the year; (f) to undertake any other work remitted to it by the' Dominion Council. " The Dominion Council shall he responsible for the organisation of the convention, the preparation of the business of the convention, and the report of the proceedings of tho convention.” It is proposed that the Dominion Council shall consist of the president, elected by the Dominion Convention, and secretary (if honorary) and six other members appointed as follows: tine by each of the four District Councils, one by the Education Department and one by the Senate of the University of New Zealand. The duties of the Dominion Council will fie to coordinate the work of the District Councils, and, pending the meeting of the Dominion Convention, to veto’ the es tablishment by a District Council of any. now kind of work that the Dominion Council considers outside the scone or centon-w tn the snirit of tho W.E.A. The Dominion Council is also to make arrn.n"em<mf.s for visits of W.13,A. lecturers from overseas, and to build np a Dominion library for the W.E.A. movement. tutorial clashes and study CIRCLES. It was resolved that various recommendations he sent to the District Councils, and to request them to forward suggestions as to classes, etc. Tlio recommendations to be sent to the District Councils include:— ‘‘ (1) That classes be. organised as (a) tutorial classes, (b) study circles. “ (I I) That no tutorial class bo recognised unless twenty members are enrolled, and that not more than forty members be enrolled' in any tutorial class. (3) J hat no study circle be recognised unless six members arc enrolled. “ (4) That the work of a tutorial class bo arranged in one-year courses so drawn up if possible as to provide a systematic programme of work for three years. “ (5) That a tutorial class shall meet weekly for not loss than twenty-four weeks a year, amt that as a- general rule at each meeting one hour be given to the lecture on exposition by tho tutor and one hour t 0 discussion by the class. “ (b) That members of a class who do not attend more than 25 per cent of the meetings of the class shall be struck off tho roll at the end of the year. Other proposals are t—“That whenever possible full-time tutors be appointed, these tutors to bo University teachers and to be given secure tenure of appointment and the benefits of superannuation. “ That the salaries of tutors bo as follows .-—Full-time tutor, not less than E-IUO per annum, not more than live classes. Part-time tutor, tutorial 880 per class. Study, circle £2O per course of twelve meetings. “That the Joint Committee be rc-

quested to see that the openings • for tutorial work in the W-E.A. are brought under the notice of University graduates by the University colleges. “ That the District Councils request their Joint Committees (a) to formulate a plan by which they can be kept in touch with the work of the classes; (b) to prepare suggested courses of lectures for the guidance of country tutors; (c) to arrange for refresher courses fbr .their tutors and for summer schpols; (d) to arrange for class libraries and for tho extension of the privileges of University and other libraries to students of tho W.B.A. classes.'' At tho termination of the W.E.A. conference in Wellington a deputation waited on the Prime Minister and tho Minister of Education (Hon U. J. Parr) with reference to its financial needs. In replying tho Prime Minister said that ho had every sympathy with the movement lor adult education, and he thought the Government had proved >-hat. Withou( making the comparison in any party spirit, he might say that when the Government came into power eight years ago the vote for education Was £1,200,000, This year the expenditure'on education would not bo less than £3,000,000. He did not grudge it in the least. They had to keep abreast of other countries. Ho believed that the deputation’s particular branch should be a part of the national system of education, and ho thought it would come to that. They were asking for a small sum, about £2500 a year, he thought it was, but he would have to place the matter before his colleagues. They had no great difficulties about finance at present, but he limit look to the.future. It had been suggested that they should stop borrowing, but if they did co tho country would have a heavy burden to bear in the future. Ho would place the request, for assistance before Cabinet, end let them know the result as soon as possible..