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education of children and the Church's rights in the field of education."
In his address to the delegates, Bishop Beck accepted the importance of planning. but urged that, in all social progress, the planning is less important than the person. Education is not a matter of buildings. but of communication between persons, teacher and pupil.
The responsibility of parents, he insisted, must not he neglected. Even parents who took their duties too lightly had an essential place in the life of the child which must not be usurped by the teacher. Home and school must work hand in hand.
Bishop Beck reaffirmed that the teacher performs his duties in loco parentis and that all arc called to cooperate with the C hurch to beget "a new life in the womb of the baptismal font."
Delegates included men and women from places as far apart as Siam, Argentina, Tanganyika, Ghana and India. The Union counts over half a million members from nearly 50 countries. Neither Ireland nor the United States could send delegates, the former because her teachers' associations include non-Catholics, the latter because there are no purely teaching organisations at all there.
The World Union of Catholic Teachers (UMEC') has consultative status with UNESCO with a permanent commission in its Paris headquarters. It has been commissioned by UNESCO to undertake special work for several countries, devising syllabuses. compiling text hooks. and teachers' training programmes.
It has also been asked to establish a complete system for newlydeveloped nations, including technical and extra-mural education,
v, lib special planning for rural districts.
Tonight. in London, the conference delegates will meet for a dinner at which Sir Edward Boyle and Bishop Beck will be the principal speakers. During the next few days a variety of "workshops" will study parent-teacher organisations. and all forms of Catholic organisation relating to education which operate within national systems.
Possible improvements will be considered, and findings are expected to be reported by the end of the week. Other topics under examination include the work of UMEC in the field of international planning with a view to further development.
Delegates will undertake study of primary and secondary school organisation, and other commissions will prove the state of education and the potential for future
Catholic activity in Europe, AfroAsia, and North and South America.
A final commission will search for ways and means of increasing the De Boer Fund set up by UMEC for the improvement of education in backward countries.
The conference hosts are members of the Catholic Teachers' Federation of England and Wales. The organising committee, led by Mr. S. W. Exworthy, .1.13.. M.A. (Southport), and Alderman C. H. Sheill (London), includes Mr. I. I. Wells (Birmingham), Miss C. O'Hara (London), Mr. J. R. Doyle, B.A. (Hants and Surrey). Mr. J. F. Kiernan (Manchester), Mr. M. R. Doherty (Middlesbrough), Miss W. Holland (Wigan). and Miss M. Edgley (London),
FOOTNOTE.: A vast stack of duplicating for the conference has all been undertaken by RONE0— free of charge !