OUR RHODES-SCHOLAR AND THE "TIMES."

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 69, 22 March 1910, Page 7

OUR RHODES -SCHOLAR AND THE "TIMES."

■■-—■■ O ' — _ CRITICISM CRI-T—BED. THE EDUCATIONAL EQUATION AND THE GREEK. ■. "■ .- The decision of the Auckland University College Council yesterday afternoon to forward a letter of congratulation .to "Mr. Sisam, the chosen New Zealand Rhodes Scholar for 1910, together with the Council's best wishes for his future University career, brought up reference to a recent article in the "London Times," in which Australasian Rhodes scholars were spoken of in somewhat disparaging terms as compared with scholars from other countries. Mr. C. J. Parr, who raised the point, _aid that it was suggested in the articles in the "Times" that the fault lay in defective elementary and t secondary courses in the Australasian schools. Mr. Parr said that it surprised him to learn that the primary school system in Australasia was defective as compared with either the Old Country or with

CJer_any. As a matter of fact, he did not think the "Times" had found the true reason. He was convinced that the primary education in this Dominion was quite as sound, up-to-date, and as efficient as any in. the Empire. Mr. G. L. Peacocke thought that the reason for the comparative failure of New Zealand Rhodes Scholars was to be found in the fact that they were drawn from a much more restricted population. Our Rhodes scholars, too, were all very young men, and had not perhaps had the . special opportunities for University education that students in some of the other countries had at their command. He agreed, however, with Mr. Parr thai - the elementary school system could not be blamed for any deficiency. And he also rather resented the imputation in toto. Had not one of our Rhodes scholars become a professor of his subject at one of the big American Universities, where he had covered'himself with . credit for the way in which he had carried out his work. ; And i then there was Professor Rutherford, another New Zealander, whose fame was world-wide. And we had less than a million people to pick from, whereas Canada had several times that number, as had Australia, i

Mr. Parr: But Australia is included in the "Times' criticism. The Rev. W. Beatty " expressed ; the opinion that'any failure was not due :to faulty grounding .at the primary schools, but more likely to the fact that the average boy going up for secondary education spent too little time at the secondary school before being bustled into the University. There was not the educative factor of the public school here as —ere was in the Old Country. Mr. Parr agreed that something was lacking, else why were -undergraduates of the big Universities at Home able to beat our men with degrees. Sir Maurice O'Rorke remarked that the secondary schools here some years ago abolished Greek, one of the essential languages at the English Universities. How could it be expected of New Zcalanders to go Home and excel when they were so handicapped. "Z, The Rev.' Beatty: But that 1 was entire--1 _-' political _ Vi JN_ oijo,;v\ho -reads Greek arid the classics -will be subservi- : ent, but will be independent and fearless in their views and the expression of their opinions, which would not suit • our political leaders _fc_llV-__-'__*-' Mr. Beatty- naive explanation entirely upset _ the gravity of the Co_u_, end dispersed further, argument. ,-..