Education of the Farm Worker. 



status in modern society, his relation to the community at large, 

 and his prospects and opportunities. I might also include under 

 this head " health " ; for though health and sex education should 

 begin in schools they most decidedly should not end there ! In 

 the treatment of these subjects, however, with the exception of 

 most aspects of the health problem, we are on dangerous ground, 

 and cannot expect agreement. It is obvious that in teaching 

 history, for instance, bias is bound to give a trend to instnicti n. 

 Social topics such as those referred to above cannot be prese; ted 

 for discussion as mere collections of universally accepted lact . 

 Points of view must be given, deductions drawn, probabl^ 

 developments indicated, and the right line of effort based on the 

 knowledge gained niiist be suggested. Similarly, impartiality 

 in teaching economics is unattainable ; sociology and class politics 

 are inextricably mixed. 



For these reasons the social education of farm workers f^ nd 

 all other workers) should be left to working class organisations. 

 The teaching of history and economics, which is part of the 

 organisation of the present social system, cannot receive the 

 support of the opponents of that system. This position, pushed 

 to the extreme, has been stated in these words : — 



" The workers must think independently. The workers 



want not merely more education, but a different education. 



There is no magic that can transform an industrial or 



political enemy into an educational friend." 



The workers have already made small attempts to provide 

 for themselves these educational facilities. One can recognise 

 the limitations, however, which only time can overcome. At 

 present the workers can only get control over adult education 

 to the extent of choosing their subjects and selecting their tutors 

 from among those approved and paid for by universities and 

 local education authoi'ities. The Workers' Educational Associa- 

 tion, through its tutorial classes and summer schools, as well as 

 the co-operative movement, provides education of this character 

 for the workers. This dependence must to some extent continue 

 until more workers are able to pass through all the grades of 

 education now provided, or until facilities for independent educa- 

 tion are far more numerous than at present. Meanwhile we 

 must remember that schools are not the only channels of educa- 

 tion. Books and newspapers are valuable means, and through 

 these we must continually present the workers' case and view- 

 point. 



Therefore, although we recognise the class character of modern 



