W.E.A.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16455, 17 June 1921, Page 6

W.E.A.

FINANCIAL POSITION,

APPLICATION FOR ASSISTANCE.

(Contributed.)

The third aeries of popular lectures was held last Saturday, when Profes- , sor Salinond lectured on 44 Democracy t . and Education.” The lecture com- 1 menced with Abraham Lincoln’s noted j definition of Democracy, i.e., “ Gov- > eminent of the people, by the people, j for the people,” and stated that was j the best definition so far of real he- ; mocracy. Whilst admitting that De- j mocracy had obtained the best results | , of any other form of Government, as j quoted by Lord Bryce, vet it had its j weaknesses. But all such weaknesses i could bo rectified by a right system of j education. That is, that education, j must not only tleal with the material j things of life, but must cultivate the | higher sentiments and the spiritual j side of man’s nature. At the- conclu- ) sion of the lecture a number of ques- j tions were asked and answered. I The students of the Drama and Psy* ! chologv Classes are delighted with the j fact that Professor Siheliy is again j ready to take up his leetureß in the ; above subjects. On Monday night ,j last the room was crowded to hear the | lecture on “Drama.” and the reading j following- During the prolessor s stay j in Auckland he contracted a cold, and . is now confined to his bed ; consequent- | ly the students of the Psychology Class j were rather disappointed in not see- j ing him at their class on Thursday night. However, the class was not disbanded, but discussed industrial psychology from the Labour point of view. The discussion was opened bv the secretary, Mr George Manning, who outlined" Labour’s opposition and suspicion to any application of methods which increased production, unless the workers, as a whole, benefited by such increase in the output of industry. But such opposition could be remedied by the adoption of the principle of industrial democracy—that is, the workers to have a voice in the control and management of the industry in which they are engaged. A. good discussion followed, many of the students taking part. Should Professor Shelley still be unable to take the class next week, Professor Oondliffe lias kindly consented to fill the breach. Last week a deputation from the W.E.A. Tutorial Class Committee waited on tho Christchurch City Council to appeal to them to assist the WE.A. by contributing a larger sum to the funds. Dr. Chilton, chairman of the Tutorial Class Committee, stated the caso on their behalf in which lie said that owing to the lack of funds no more classes could be formed, and thalb two classes which had been started were waiting for tutors, i.e., Pareora and Waimate. Also, that the Wellington City Council contributed £IOO to the Wellington W.E.A., and he thought the Christchurch City Council would not be behind the Wellington Council in their appreciation of the work which the W.E.A. is doing. The result of that visit is that the council •will decide their contribution when arranging the estimates for the coming year. . A deputation, ledy by Mr W. M’Cullough, the treasurer of the association, also waited on the Woolston Borough Couijcil. He outlined the growth of the movement since its inception in 1914 up to the present time, and stated that at present there are over three hundred men and women attending the classes each week. The council gave the deputation a very attentive hearing, and promised to do their best when considering their estimates. Thus the work of the association is being brought before the local bodies, whom it is desired will take a keen interest in the movement. Those members who were present at the last performance of Mr Allan Wilkie’s Company felt pleased with the idea of tho W.E-A. demonstrating its api>reciation of Mr Wilkie’s Company in allowing such generous concessions to the students, and in presenting such good interpretations of Shakespearian drama. Professor Oondliffe’s speech, was to the point, and as he is the energy behind the movement and the pilot of the association’s work in Canterbury, it was fitting that he was its spokesman on that occasion. The two books presented were, to Allan Wilkie, A Yariorem on “ The Merchant of Venice,” and to Miss Hunter-Watts “ Elizabethan Drama.” It is one of the tasks of the Workers’ Educational Association to create in the community a taste for the best in literature and in art of every kind. The classes are formed to study and develop a knowledge in all the social sciences, so that the democracy will better understand its own political and economic problems, and cherish a high ideal in. all the activities of individual lives.