A Co-operative College.

Educational Needs and Provisions; Past and Present.

Education has been recognised as essential to co- operative progress ever since the
commencement of the movement. The Pioneers were so impressed with its
importance that they set aside a portion of their profits for educational work, and
established classes in literary and scientific subjects. Other societies followed their
example. The good work they did was recognised, and the demand for educational
facilities increased so much, and became so obviously a public duty, that public
authorities took over the work which co-operative societies and others had been
doing. Some societies established libraries and newsrooms; but as these also are
now provided by public bodies, co-operative activity in this direction also has been
curtailed, though small specialised libraries are, and should still be, provided. These
changes have set free co-operative funds, which can now be well applied for the
extension of facilities for the higher education of co-operators in other ways, and,
particularly, for education in liberal subjects. No longer does it devolve upon us to
train men as chemists or mechanics, but we have still the duty of training men and
women as units in the co-operative army, able to work intelligently, individually and in
groups, for the realisation of the co-operative ideal.

A Co-operative College.

These reflections give point to the suggestion that the time is ripe for the
establishment of a Co-operative College which would serve as an educational centre
for the movement. The co-operative movement depending for its existence as a
social force upon the appreciation of ideals by a well-educated democracy, requires
such an institution; and, with its extensive and powerful membership, is well able to
support one. It is the object of this paper to give some reasons for the establishment
of the college, to indicate some of the methods of working such an institution, and to
suggest some of the advantages we may expect to gain from it.

Its place in the Movement.

Such a college would be the headquarters of the educational life of the movement;
and its academic and ethical centre. Through the contact of its staff with the
students, who would come from and return to all parts of the United Kingdom, the
college would prove a strong force for the wide-spread dissemination of the
co-operative spirit; whilst the common life of the college would do much to develop
the feeling of common interests and sympathy between co-operators, and to keep
alive the idealism which inspired the founders, but which at times seems likely to be
swamped. I set great store on the influence of this common life; It is a practical
application of the principles of co-operation. The education of life is derived not
merely from books and formal lectures; it comes from the whole of the influences
which mould our characters and make us what we are. Among these influences
none is more powerful than that exercised upon us by those with whom we daily
associate. We learn more-often very unconsciously - and we learn more easily by
personal intercourse than by poring over books. Personal intercourse must occupy
an important place in any rightly-conceived educational system; and the possibility of
having this intercourse adds to the advantages of the college I am suggesting and
the scheme I am outlining. We can all increase our knowledge by sharing what we
have. Few better examples of the benefits of co-operation could be given than this;
and no place could be - more fitting for the application of such a beneficent
co-operative principle than a co-operative college. This willingness to give as well as
get should characterise the students who passed through the college: it is the spirit
which the college should strive to cultivate and which its atmosphere might be
expected to create.

But the college should stand for more than the acquisition of knowledge, Knowledge,
without enthusiasm for its application in the great issues of life, is like a flame with
little light or heat. The success of men and great causes comes from inspiration and
enthusiasm as well as from knowledge; and, surely, no more favourable ground
could be found for the development of this enthusiasm than the fellowship of men
brought together under conditions such as the college could provide. The spirit of
fraternity and fellowship which we might expect the college to produce would give
strength, faith, and encouragement in the fight in the common cause, and these,
reinforced by knowledge, could know no failure. In short, the college should create a
burning desire for social justice, inspire a willingness to work for it and provide the
knowledge how best to attain it.

Our aim should be to provide education in its widest sense: Education for life,
education which would bring into the lives of our students (and through them many
others) some of the light and hope and joy which we believe to be the common
heritage of man.

Our motto should be knowledge through service for service. We should recognise at
once that ignorance and indifference are hindrances to progress; whilst, hand in
hand, knowledge and enthusiasm for truth and righteousness can conquer much.
One's faith in the college is based on the possibility of inspiring our students to desire
both.

The college could well be the inspirer of a revival in co-operative faith and of an
extension movement in co-operative education such as the country has not seen
since the days of the co-operative missionaries. How much we might gain if, through
this intercourse and co-operative effort in attaining educational ideals, we could dot
the country with ex-students, enthusiastic for co-operative education and the
propagation of co-operative ideals! Besides providing opportunities for co-operators
to get a liberal education in history, literature, economics, &c., in the college itself,
why should we not also have our own Co-operative University Extension Lectures,
thus carrying some of the benefits of the college to those who could not enter it?

Training of Teachers.

The college would also provide a training ground for our teachers. Classes in
Co-operation, Industrial History, Economics, Book-keeping, &c., are increasing in
number yearly; and we are constantly calling into service more teachers. They are
earnest .and enthusiastic men and women who come to the work as a rule for the
love of the cause. Many have a natural gift for teaching others, but they are often
untrained; they do not know how best to use the powers they possess; and they fail
to reach the efficiency level which a little training would help them to reach. It would
be a great advantage to such teachers if they could live in the atmosphere of a
college for a time - a few months preferably, but a week or two rather than not at all -
where they could increase their knowledge of the subjects they teach; and discuss
with specialists methods of research and the handling of text books and original
matter in preparing lessons, as well as difficulties in organising classes and in giving
instruction. In such discussions they would learn something of other and perhaps
better methods than their own, for here would be focussed by interchange of opinion
the whole of the teaching experience of the movement. Catching some of the college
spirit, and probably realising more than before how education can affect the fulness
of life, they would go back better teachers, as well as better instructors, strengthened
in their faith in ideals, and with a deeper love for their work.

Correspondence Tuition.

There would be some teachers of classes who could not attend the college, and, as
now, some students unable to get instruction in classes. For these, suitable
correspondence courses could be organised as the next best thing possible. This
would be an extension of the correspondence tuition now carried on by the Union,
but there would be a considerable and valuable extension made possible by the
existence of a permanent teaching staff. At present, a correspondence student must
be a member of a correspondence class. Classes are held only during the winter
months, and there must be somewhat rigid rules as to time allowed for lessons. The
system limits the number of subjects in which instruction can be given, and the
general conditions are inelastic. A college could offer correspondence tuition in more
subjects, and offer more elastic conditions for the duration of the Courses. This
correspondence tuition would be valuable in itself, but it would in many cases also
prove a valuable preparation for those who intended to enter into residence at the
college. Moreover; the teachers at the college, who would be specialising in their
subjects and constantly discussing them with internal students, would be able to
hand on to their correspondence pupils some of the advantages that would be
gained by this pooling of experience, and would be able to treat their subjects in a.
manner closely reflecting everyday experience. Systematic education is little more
than a pooling of experience and knowledge with the teacher as leader, because he
has specialised more than his students in collecting and arranging this knowledge.
Hence our correspondence work would be improved by the existence of classes in
the college which would facilitate this collection of knowledge and experience.

There is a great need at the present time for an academic interpretation of history
and economics by teachers in close touch with working-class life and possessed of
first-hand data referring to it. Through the influx of a constant stream of students
from the shop and bench to the college the college staff would have the conditions
and opportunity for giving it. The college need not confine itself to training in purely
social subjects, such as economics and history. Most colleges of its type have a
gymnasium, and at least one provides instruction in nature study and such business
subjects as are likely to be useful to a trade-union secretary.

Training of Employees.

We should, doubtless, desire to preserve an educational balance, but we have also

special needs. Recently, we have undertaken to give instruction to managers and
secretaries. We should wish to make them efficient managers and secretaries, but is
it not also our duty to make these officials good social reformers as well as good
buyers and sellers? Should we not desire our students to think as much of getting
the movement and the world on as of getting themselves on? Our college could do
something to help in this direction. If we could send out into our societies every year
a number of men with the same strong affection for the college and the movement as
most university men have for their alma mater we should be able to go far towards
this ideal. This could be accomplished by having courses for prospective managers
and secretaries at the college. These courses would include attendance at classes
and discussions along with those students whose primary object was to get a deeper
insight into social phenomena. These prospective officials would realise in a manner
impossible to many now that the movement stands for ideals of which fair trading is
only one, and in the attainment of which, the production and distribution of
commodities are only means to an end. We have sometimes been charged with
commercialising our ideals; here is a chance of idealising our commerce and
achieving the ideals of the Pioneers. In connection with such managers' classes it
may be pointed out that the college could give instruction of a higher type than can
be given in scattered classes, for it could collect the best-prepared students and
provide the best teachers. Groups of students collected in this way could pay visits
under suitable leadership to productive and other works and thus get a wider
business outlook. We have it in our power to give our future industrial leaders almost
as good a training as that given by a millionaire to his son.

The General Service of the College to the Movement.

The movement to-day is pining for a reasoned and convincing policy. There is at
present great unrest in the industrial world and co-operators are asking what solution
co-operation can offer. The more earnest spirits among the rank and file are wanting
to move forward to some of the ideals of the Pioneers. They do not feel that they are
getting the constructive social policy which the trade of the movement warrants.
Among our leaders there seems to be a lack of confidence in the success of a
forward movement and over apprehensiveness about the result. As a result of this
over-cautiousness, our advance towards the social ideal is disappointingly slow.
Papers are discussed at conferences, yet little headway is made. This is not the
place to discuss weaknesses, but it does seem a fair statement of fact to say that we
are without a conscious and continuous policy for the redemption of co-operators
from the social and economic ills that surround them. It might not be the place of a
college to provide such a policy, but it could give us light on some of our problems
and it would put more life and confidence into us if it gave us an increased number of
men and women trained in the handling of social phenomena. In this connection one
might mention here the great assistance which would be given to the movement if
the college became the centre of investigations into various phases of co-operative
activities and into general social phenomena with a view to indicating suitable
directions for developing co-operative activities in trade and social reform.

Summer Schools.

One takes it for granted that the college would be established in some country
district, where the work could be carried on under the best conditions. It would then
prove a very suitable place for holding summer meetings and week-end schools. We
want some such centre for district meetings of the Fellowship, Women's Guild, Men's
Guild, &c. No doubt many of the classes, held within easy reach of the college would
delight to spend a week-end at it in order to enjoy a brief holiday and participate in
the educational advantages of the college. The week-end school, with its
co-operative life, would do much to increase the social bonds within the movement.
Increasing the number of our co-operator friends we shall realise better than we do
now that we stand for a policy of "Each for all and all for each." One need only recall
the splendid week-ends at Otley, Oxford, and York to realise the great possibilities in
this direction. If the college did nothing more than pro- mote and extend this feeling
of fellowship it would justify its existence.

International Fraternity.

The college, as it developed, would probably receive students from abroad, who
would come here to learn something of the methods and organisation of the
co-operative movement. In this respect the college might well prove to be one of the
most important contributions to the advance of co-operation since 1844. The
mingling of co-operators from various countries would be of great value for creating a
right understanding among them, and would strengthen the international movement
enormously.

Finance.

Enquiry will be made as to the ways in which the college could be financed and get
its students. Let me first deal with finance. There should be no difficulty about
finance in a movement which devotes so much money each year to educational
purposes. Some part of the money now devoted to less desirable objects would be
diverted to the college when its utility had been appreciated. Within the movement
large sums are contributed each year to educational institutions over which we have
little or no control, and, frequently, for the benefit of the general public. It is not too
much to hope that some of this money would be diverted to our own college. Some
students would probably come at their own expense, others would come on
scholarships or awards at the expense of their society, their trade union, &c. where
societies could not afford to send students yearly, they might accumulate a fund and
send one every third or fourth year. Trade unions maintain one or two scholars at a
time at similar institutions, and one does not need to be unduly optimistic to look
forward to a time when most of our societies would maintain or help to maintain a
scholar at the college. Some societies would help by annual donations, and from a
dozen sources and in a dozen ways funds could be obtained. We have often seen
how co-operators can subscribe when they are convinced of the necessity of the
object for which they are subscribing. Let them be convinced of the possibilities of
the college and the money will be found. America has already got a co-operative
college. Why should we lag behind?

As a preliminary step, the Central Education Committee, if approving the general

idea, might appoint an organiser for a limited period, whose duty it would be to
interview the educational and general committees of the societies, explain the
scheme, and discover what assistance they would be willing to give. Papers could be
read at district and other conferences, and within twelve months a fair idea could be
formed of the measure of support likely to be forthcoming. The actual work could be
commenced by utilising Holyoake House.

Supply of Students.

The students would enter the college in ways suggested above, viz., at their own
expense, and on scholarship or award from their own society or trade union. They
should come for one or for two years to reap the full advantage, but it should be
possible for a student, who so desires, to come for a month or shorter period
according to his opportunity. If its funds permitted, the Central Education Committee
might award scholarships or grants in aid to those who merited them by their work at
classes or examinations held under the auspices of the Union or by other work. In
such ways as these it would not be difficult to secure a sufficient number of students
to make possible the efficient and economical working of the college.

The college would not compete with any existing working-class educational
organisation. It has a special place. Moreover, the history of education goes to show
that the development of one educational movement strengthens all others by
developing faith in education as a factor in human progress.

Management.

The management of the college would, of course, be vested entirely in the

movement, either in the Central Education Committee or in a specially constituted
committee.

Conclusion.

In the short paper this is intended to be there is no room for great detail. What I have
desired to do is to place before you a fair general statement of the possibilities of a
co-operative college and the ways of working it. I have tried to make out a case for
the establishment of the college as an item of practical politics, as something that
can be done here and now. I have great faith, and if I have been able to
communicate some of that faith to others and done something to help the movement
towards the goal my present object has been achieved. What worthier memorial
could we erect to perpetuate the memory of Robert Owen and other great prophets
of the co-operative commonwealth than an educational institution such as I have
outlined?

Co-operative Printing Society Ltd., 118, Corporation Street, Manchester.