"HAD A GOOD RUN."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 114, 17 May 1933, Page 14

"HAD A GOOD RUN."

PROFESSOR SAYS FAREWELL. IDEALS FOR STUDENTS. With two terms etill to go before he retires, Professor T. G. R. Blunt, who occupies the chair of Modern Languages at Canterbury College, reviewed his 32 years' unbroken association with the college in what was in the nature of a farewell speech. Professor Blunt, who gave the principal speech at the graduation ceremony, states the "Christchurch Star," declared that if he had his life to live over again he would choose to spend it at Canterbury College doing tho work he had done for the past 32 years. Of those who wore at the college when he arrived, only two remained, said Professor Blunt—Dr. J. Hight and Professor C. F. Salmond. Others had now departed for ever. Professor Blunt said that he had often disagreed with other members of the staff, but such a thing must happen when a group of thoughtful men were giving serious consideration to a problem. Examples of the necessity of disagreement among men who were searching for knowledge were cited by the speaker, who pointed to the fact that until the last few months men had been accustomed to accept the words of Lord Rutherford on all matters affecting physics, and especially the atom, without doubt. Now the whole complexion of the question had been changed through the discoveries of two Cambridge men. It was the same in education. There had always been two groups —ono believed in the lead; the other in the lash. In Germany, which had always been a leader in education, those in favour of "the lead" had had it all their own way for 14 years. There had been no violence in that time; till three months ago, that group had been dominant. Suddenly the ukase went forth that the lash was to be used, and for the last three months Germany had been resounding to the yells of beaten school children. Thus it was not surprising that there were many important points in university work upon which men disagreed. Reference was made by Professor Blunt to ; his; comparatively youthful appearance and to the fact that it had been said that the long years lay lightly on him. He believed that that was due to his association with the students. To be in a position such as he had occupied must have prevented' his getting old before: his time. He referred to Rider Haggard's book, "She," a story of renewed youth, when a group of students broke in with tho refrain, "She Was Poor, But She Was Honest." (Laughter.)

The future was briefly touched upon by the speaker, who asked whether they 'were to temper the cold light of science with the softening touch of the humanities, or whether, as forecast recently by Aldous Huxley, they would live by .science for the State without feeling and without emotion. He did not attempt to answer the question. To the students he put forward a series of ideals which should be the object of university training. Among these were the ideals that a university man should be able to fill any post with credit and should be able to take his place in any society. He should know when to speak and when to be silent. He should bo able to converse and able to listen. , "You can't eay we haven't given you a good pop," chanted tho chorus' of undergraduates at the conclusion of Professor Blunt's speech. "Thank you, students," he replied. "I've "had a good run; in fact, it has been quieter than ever I remember."