IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION—EARLY EDUCATIONAL WORK OF THE SOCIETY—AN EDUCATIONAL COMMITTEE FORMED—ITS CONSTITUTION—WORK AMONGST THE YOUNG—THE U.C.B.S. BAND FORMED—SOCIAL WORK—LECTURES—CLASSES DURING WORKING HOURS—A NEW DEPARTURE—AN EDUCATIONAL TOUR—A SECOND TOUR—VALUABLE WORK—THE YEARS OF WAR.
In all propaganda work there must necessarily be an element of education, for at least a part of educational work consists in the imparting of information, although the more important part is the training to think. Co-operators from the very earliest days of the movement have recognised the necessity of education, and have devoted a part of the funds which came to them from Co-operative trading to its support. Indeed the Rochdale Pioneers went further, and amongst their objects they placed taking control of the functions of education, meantime devoting 2½ per cent. of the surplus which accrued to them from their Co-operative trading to the furtherance of education amongst themselves. This example of theirs was followed by many other societies, and associations of a more or less educational nature were formed wherever a number of Co-operators could find it convenient to meet. It was from the conferences of representatives from the societies that the idea grew of what has become ultimately the supreme educational authority of the movement in Britain, the Co-operative Union. Even before the formation of the Union, conferences were being held in Scotland to discuss Co-operative problems, and almost from the beginning the Baking Society affiliated with the nearest of the Associations under whose auspices such conferences were held. Thus we find them subscribing to the funds of the Glasgow and Suburbs Conference Association and the Renfrewshire Conference Association, and, later, to all the other district associations in the country. But even before they began to subscribe to the conference associations they were taking an interest in and giving support to the literature of the movement. We find them at the quarterly meeting which took place on 26th August 1871 agreeing to subscribe for twelve copies of the Co-operative News, which were to be distributed amongst the employees in the bakery.
The members of the committee were evidently diligent readers of this journal too, for, as has been noted previously, they embodied in their minutes at a later date a criticism of some remarks which had appeared in that journal relative to the Society. It was not until 1896, however, that it was decided to set up a separate committee, which would have under its control the educative and recreative agencies of the Society. Just prior to that they had published a Year Book which contained a history of the Society to date. A branch of the Women’s Guild had also been formed, and classes in singing and ambulance work, as well as a literary society. At a special meeting which the committee held on 1st February 1896 they came to the unanimous decision that the time had now arrived when an educational and charitable fund should be formed by the Society, out of which all charitable donations and subscriptions should be taken. At the following meeting the sum of £50 was voted for the purpose of forming an educational fund.
The members of the board took the employees into consultation with respect to the administration of the educational fund, with the result that the following constitution was drawn up and agreed to:—
DUTIES AND WORK OF EDUCATIONAL COMMITTEE.
This Committee shall consist of three Directors, who shall hold office for one year, and shall be elected at the December meeting of each year. They, along with the four members appointed by the employees, shall form the Educational Committee.
They shall take a special oversight of all the clubs, classes, and meetings of an educational nature connected with the Bakery.
They shall have at their disposal for the furtherance of educational work connected with the Bakery 10 per cent. or such other proportion of the Educational and Benevolent Fund (Rule 14) as the Directors may from time to time determine.
It will further be expected from them to make recommendations to the Directors from time to time on matters of public educational interest, and it shall be competent for the Directors at any time to remit such matters to them for consideration and report.
They shall meet monthly or oftener if required, and submit a short minute of their proceedings at the Directors’ bi-monthly meeting.