ADULT EDUCATION.

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17837, 9 October 1929, Page 4

ADULT EDUCATION.

A world conference on adult education hold at Cambridge (England) in August gave an indication of the rapid progress made by this comparatively new movement. It was attended by nearly 450 educationists from 46 countries, 66 of the delegates officially representing their Governments. The president, Dr. Albert Mansbridge expressed doubts as to tiie value of education regarded as the acquisition of knowledge in schools or classes, but that, he said should not be confused with the unfolding splendour of the life of a man, which was education in reality. No adult education. he said, means no education. The adult educator cares little for ulterior motive. His business is the development of the power of man. The Bishop of Plymouth urged that adult education means the development of an efficient and rightly integrated personality. He scouted the association of education with the idea of material advancement —a common outlook of the ordinary Englishman. While recognising the value of lectures in awakening interest in a subject, the Bishop urged that adult education must use the method of discussion and co-operative effort. He also claimed that education should bo in the truest sense religious if the desired result is to be attained. In the spread of adult education he saw one of the greatest safeguards for international goodwill. “A world at school would be a world at peace.” Mr. Thomas. Warden of the new residential College at Harlech for Adult Education, struck a hopeful note when, referring to the fact that educationists are as yet only touching the fringe of the problem, he stated that the trade unions were beginning to realise that the new order for which they were looking would he conditioned by increasing attention to education.