ADULT EDUCATION COURSES OPEN TO COUNTRY PEOPLE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 16, 29 March 1950, Page 5

ADULT EDUCATION COURSES OPEN TO COUNTRY PEOPLE

“With their specially designed programmes and energetic staff, the adult education departments of the four university colleges in New Zealand are doing a great work in bringing cultural interests to the country dweller,” stated the Bay of Plenty tutor-organiser, Mr C. A. Bell, M.A., Dip. Ed, of Rotorua, in an interview recently.

Controlling Bodies The controlling bodies, he explained, were the regional councils of adult education, working under the direction of the local college councils. They were made up of equal numbers of representatives of the college and of the various bodies already engaged in the work of adult education.

The needs of country dwellers w£re made known mainly through the work of the women’s representatives, elected from the Women’s Institutes and Women’s Division of Federated Farmers.

A glance at a typical programme revealed a wide range of interests and activities, he commented. Tutors were available to take classes in arts and crafts, drama, music, dressmaking and a large number of general subjects. For persons in more remote areas, there were ingenious methods of instruction. /

Drama and crafts were taught by skilfully-planned “box couYses” consisting of printed material, samples and explicit instructions. Subjects such as economics, sociology, world affairs, science, literature, art, musis, and psychology in all its branches lent themselves to the discussion-course method. Specially Devised

“Specially devised for New Zealand conditions, this method involves nothing organising a grotfp of six to 12 people who meet regularly to discuss lectures sent out by the college,” Mr Bell explained. These groups had proved so interesting, he said, that cases were on record of groups which had met each winter for over 11 years.