WORKERS' EDUCATION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2404, 9 March 1915, Page 7

WORKERS' EDUCATION

FUNDS AND TUTORS

DISCUSSION BY COLLEGE

COUNCIL

For the purpose of placing before the Victoria College Council the aims of the Workers'- Educational Association, Mr. Meredith Atkinson, who is travelling 'New Zealand in the interests of the association, addressed the members of the council at Victoria College yesterday afternoon. In the absence of the chairman (Mr. H. H. Ostler), Mr. C. Watson presided, and there were also present the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken, the Rev. W. A. Evans, and Messrs. W. H. MoTton, C. B Morison, and T. It. Fleming. Mr. Atkinson dealt with the construction and control of the tutorial classes, which it was hoped to establish. Three details—the discussion hour, the library, and the essay—were considered quite essential. The tutor was always a man of academio standing, and in England' the standard had been kept high'. The movement,'he pointed out, was only twelve years old, and already had achieved astounding results in educating the workers in those subjects essential to make them into clear-thinking citizens. Another principle was. that the subject ■ should. be chosen by the class itself, because it was found that the best way to interest the students was to give the subject on which their minds, most actively worked. So far economics, history, and literature were far and away the most popular, though in Australia there was_ a considerable demand for botanical biology. As to the government of the classes, they were controlled by a joint board, of half the workers' representatives and half of the College Council. The finance was simple enough—in England the University paid half and the Government paid half. In Australia, ivbere the University was more dependent on the Government, the Government paid the whole of the grant, through the Joint Committee. Any financial wntrol was vested ultimately in the governing body of the University. The pay. of the tutor was generally on the Oxford plan, oil a class basis', of £80 per class per annum. A full-time man, taking four classes, would get £320. The cost of a library varied according to the wealth of the University. Probably £20 per class would, be the amount spent. .The total.cost,' therefore, .was something over £100 per class. The difficulty, ha said, was sometimes in the finding of tutors for the classes. Answering questions,. Mr. Atkinson said that in Eugland the fees were made as "nominal as? possible, namely, 2s. 6d. per term. 'In Australia it was ,ss. per term, and some people thought it might be made more. The danger of making it more was that those who most needed it might be shut out. Mr. .Watson said the difficulty was that tie college had no funds to administer.

Mr. Morison: 'If they give us the funds we. Will administer them.

Mr. Atkinson said that he had seen both the Hon. Mr. Massey and the Hon. Mr. Allen, and they were very sympathetic. The only difficulty Mr. Allen saw was in providing tutors of, sufficient experience. .. Mr. Watson: Ell you get some definite understanding we can do nothing. • Mr. Morison: Supposing we get some support,-'would a young man be willing to come .out from England to take up this tutorial work in connection with the.,, University, either .whole time or partly giving lectures at the college, at a salary of £300? :

Mr. Atkinson .said thatrhe r.wasV-cer--tain they would not get a ~ good man for£3oo. The Tasmanian Government had made a move for a man to take similar classes .- to- those • mentioned ; - by- Mr. Morison,-at a salary of £450.

Mr. Watson:-Do you think there will be support here?

Mr. Atkinson: As far as we have gone, there is certain to' be full time for one man. The first flush in Wellington would be for economics and industrial history. The tutor would take four classes of those subjects. If a man was paid £450,' the total cost for the classes would be £580. Class rooms were always provided free.' In England a great number of professors took classes. If the Government could be persuaded to give £1 for £1, it would probably, enable the four colleges' to finance the classes for the first year. Mr. Morison said' that allowing for extras, they would have to ask for £600 for each full set of classes.

A member: They would pay in time. Mr. Atkinson: It is certainly paying in England. Many workers are sent out in the world with a perfectly' sound economic training.

Mr. Morison: If the Government will give us the necessary funds we will readily undertake it; that is' my opinion. < A liearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Atkinson for his explanation of the movement.