Radio Makes Possible a National University

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 13, 9 October 1931, Page 1

Radio Makes Possible a National University

~ Home Study Circles for N.Z. Listeners —

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N. M.

Richmond

BaA:,

(Director of Workers’ Educational Association.)

‘A new series of talks, organised by the W.E.A., is shortly to commence from 1YA, and listeners are invited to form groups so that,. by discussion, and correspondence and organised reading, they may derive greater benefit from them. As the essence of all intellectual progress lies in disagreement and discussion, no better topic than "G. B. Shaw" could have been taken as an opening. Many peopie violently disagree with many of Shaw’s ideas, but there can be few, however, who will not be interested in Mr. Constable’s presentation of Shaw, even if they do not see eye to eye with him.

DOZEN peo- ) ple sit comfortably round the fireside in an English mining village.

* There is a loudspeaker and an air of expectancy. "Are we all ready! says the chairman. They settle themselves for an intellectual treat, as the voice from London begins :- "Your Majesties, your Royal Highnesses, your Excellencies, your Graces and Reverences, my Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, fellowcitizens of all degrees-I am going to talk to you about Democracy. It is George Bernard Shaw himself addressing the great new "National university" of wireless listeners, and helping to "break down the traditional barrier between education and entertainment." Do you think him presumptuous to open his remarks as if the whole population from the King to the humblest citizen must be listening? But that is his little joke, and the sort of joke he delights in. It is George Rernard Shaw all over.

Here in New Zealand we cannot yet listen to Shaw himselr, though even this may be possible before long if the present progress

of technique continues. But those who hear 1Y "A will shortly enjoy a series of talks on the life and work of Shaw by Rev. William Constable, who, besides being a great student of Shaw and an excellegt speaker, has personally met the subject of his tails. t This, however, leads one to say something of the idea of these talks generally. In England it has been proved that a considerable section of the listening public desires in the broadcast programmes not only entertainment but food for thought. Not that there is any hard and fast line between the two. It is the old story of amusement versus education, on which subject the writer once made the brilliant remark that he "didn’t see how one could be educated without, being amused!" An increasing demand for informative and _.y stimulating talks has been one of the most interesting 4nd impressive developments of broadcast service in England. The talks are arranged by a full-time staff of experts, who are experts not only on building programmes to suit all tastes, but also in selecting speakers who can talk attractively-without academic nonsense or pedantry. The more important of the talks. series have been supplemented by, "Aids to

outline the subject-matter of the series, descriptive lists of books may be consulted, and questions suggested for discussion. This lag} oint indicates a most fruitful feature of the scheme. For, besidé. individual listeners, people have been invited to form groups for joint listening and discussion. PPHROUGH the generosity of the Carnegie H Trust it has been possible to foster the formation of these groups by providing the necessary listening sets on loan. The number of such listening groups has passed the 1000 mark, and a few months ago there was held at Oxford a Summer School devoted entirely to the training of listening-group leaders. Beside the "Aids to Study" pamphlets already mentioned, the British Broadcasting Corporation publishes a 3d. weekly paper, "The Listener," which contains a verbatim report of the more important talks, excerpts from other talks, articles on related topics, book reviews, etc., and generally serves as a medium of contact between those who broadcast and those who listen. An interesting section is given to Study" pamphlets, available to listeners beforehand, and

correspondence, 1n which listeners are encouraged to Cfiticise Views expressed in the talks, and the speakers can reply to the points made,

The quality of the intellectual fare which broadcast» ing in England provides may be indicated by tha fact that the present writer, as one engaged in ad education finds "The Listener" an almost indispe able source of inspiration and stimulus in his wor' In what has been said above it may seem that the writer is holding up England to the disadvantage of New Zealand. ‘This is no part of his intentiort. In any case one has to remember that we are @ small country without either the financial or the cultural resources of the Motherland. The realisation of the immense possibilities of wireless in directions other than purely light entertainment, which came gradually in England, can only bé expected to come even more ‘gradually with us. [) must be confessed indeed that those of us who are engaged in W.E.A. work were at first very dubious of the effectiveness of sucha medium. The personal contact of the tutor with his group is such a vi aspect of our methods that it seemed hopeless’ to expect much result from a series of brief talks iri which the voice of the speaker was divorced from his actual presence, and the give-and-take of question and discussion. However, the difficulty of reachin those in-the country (Concluded on page 25

National University (Continued from page 1.) districts with our limited staff, and the claim to our services of those removed from the cultural opportunities of favour of trying to develop this new town life, were strong arguments in favour of trying to develop this new medium. During the past four years, therefore, the W.H.A. has done what it could to co-operate with the Radio Broadcasting Company in providing its share of the talks which have been a feature of the programmes from all the YA stations. In Auckland during the past two years-the talks have been supplemented with notes issued by the speaker, and the formation of listening groups has been invited. While nothing resulted in 1980 except a small individual demand for the notes, the result during the present winter has been much more encouraging. Beside a moderately brisk demand for the notes, and a small but interesting .correspondence with individual listeners, two listening groups formed themselves-at Manurewa and at Ohakune Junction. The leaders of these groups have acted as correspondents with the speaker, and so good were the questions and criticisms received from one of these in connection with the talks on Russia that the speaker was able to make use of them in personally conducted Auckland groups which have been studying this subject. On the basis of this experience, and with additional help from the Broadcasting Company, the present series of talks by Mr. Constable will form the beginning of.a fuller and more varied programme of talks to be arranged by the W.H.A. An outline of the first two talks appears herewith, and similar outlines will appear each week in advance of the talk itself. In subse‘quent outlines the speaker will indicate questions for the use of listening groups in their discussion. Books relating to the subject-matter will be mentioned, and as the scheme develops it may be possible (though nothing can at present be promised) to arrange for groups or individuals at a small fee to have the right of borrowing such books from a central library. Meanwhile those who have any intention of forming a group for the discussion of the series on Bernard Shaw are invited to write immediately to the Director, Workers’ Educational Association, Old Grammar School, Auckland, giving the name and address of the person who is prepared to act as leader (ie., chairman) and _ correspondent for the group. Correspondence addressed to Mr. Constable, ¢/o the W.E.A., whether from groups or from individuals who wish to put questions of criticisms, will be welcomed. The extent to which such correspondence can be satisfactorily answered, will of course depend on its volume.