PROGRESS OF THE W.E.A. DURING YEAR

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19243, 3 December 1930, Page 15

PROGRESS OF THE W.E.A. DURING YEAR

“HAS BECOME IMPORTANT FACTOR IN SOCIAL LIFE.”

A meeting of the District Council of the W.E.A. was held on Monday cu,..

ing, Mr S. Schofield presiding. The secretary, reporting on the years work, stated that adult education as organised by the association had now become an important factor in social life. This was evidenced by the expansion of the movement both in towns and in the country districts. The Westland province, for a number of years without a class, had now five in session. For the whole of the university district, there were organised fifty-nine classes, with over 1915 students, being an increase of fourteen classes and 316 students. This expansion was due to the organisation of four more tutorial classes and ten study groups organised under the Carnegie scheme. The fact that the province was mainly an agricultural one should reveal that a fair number of the classes were being held in the rural areas, so that an opportunity was given to the inhabitants of such areas to get into touch with educational and cultural influences. That such an attempt had been made was revealed by the following figures:—ln the city and suburbs of Christchurch, twenty-one classes were held; in Timaru, six classes; in Ashburton, three classes; and the remaining twenty-nine were held in country districts. It could be safely stated that the association was making strenuous efforts to reach every adult in the community, whether he lived in a town or in the country. Nature of the Classes.

In order to make the appeal of adult education as wide as possible to potential students, and to encourage men and women to take an interest in education and social problems, various kinds of classes were organised. The tutorial class was in charge of a tutor, and had a definite subject to study; the box scheme study circle might be in charge of a leader appointed by the students, and studied art, music, literature and drama, or a short course on experimental. psychology. The study groups organised with the grant from the Carnegie Corporation were in charge of the travelling tutor, but met fortnightly. The tutor to these groups lectured on ** The Drama ” or “ Music.” ftihd used illustrations wherever possible. A travelling library was also at the disposal of the students of such groups. The total number of these

classes for this year was as follows: Twenty-four tutorial classes, with 1214 students; twenty-five study circles, 500 students; ten study groups, 201 students; total classes, fifty-nine; total students, 1915. These figures revealed the fact that the majority of students attended the tutorial classes, but this was due largely to the scattered nature of the population in the country districts, where the box scheme was largely used. In addition to the organisation of the classes, the association had organised a summer school a series of popular lectures, a trip to Mount Cook, a trip to Pass, an annual detate with Canterbury College and fortnightly social evenings.