CANTERBURY COLLEGE.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13101, 28 April 1908, Page 8

CANTERBURY COLLEGE.

CHAIRMAN'S ANNUAL REPORT. J A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW. - The Chairman of the Canterbury College Board of Governors (Mr G. W. Russell) yesterday submitted the annual accounts of the College, and in the course of an explanatory address dealt in a thorough and comprehensive manner with the work of the past year. Mr Russell alsb made some important suggestions as to the future policy of tiie Board in regard to tho institu- \: tions under its control. A SUCCESSFUL YEAR. The year 1907, Mr Russell said, had "* been most successfuTin every way. Tho summary of receipts and expenditure showed a turnover of £33,050, as compared with £27,155 for 1900, tho two totals being based upon identically the samo lines. There were, however, a

further sufn of £8450 for the repayment of loans on tho receipts side, and : several non-recurring items of expenditure which did not como into tho actual working operations of tho year. • These affected the totals, but did not alter tho actual working results. An analysis of the two years indicated a shrinkage of rents from reserves of £107, which was caused by payments not falling within the current period. Interest on mortgages and debentures had risen from £634 to £1036. lees . received, including capitation for ireo places showed an increase of ~ J ' a > while Government grants and subsidies had increased from £3272 to £<<40 (including £3000 for Girls' School building and £928 for hydraulic laboratory). On the expenditure side, the i money spent on buildings, including re- *" pairs, rose from £2114 to £3620 (including part payment for tho Girls Hign School contract). Apparatus showed a slight decrease ot nearly £200. Salaries increased by £1143, and the inspection, maintenance, and improvement of reserves increased by £10 <. An important item was that tho payment or tho remaindor of the supreme Court award from the Board to the Board of Governors of Lincoln Agricultural .College rose from £uOO iv 1906 to £3500 in 1907, thus closing that long-standing transaction. On the entire operations of tho Board for the year an actual profit of £260b was made. The year opened with a ' credit balance of £12,609 and dosed with a credit balance of £15,297. Ihe profit made on various accounts during 1907 was as follows:—Schooli cf Art £279, Boys' High School £103, College Maintenance £182, .School of Engineering £1920, Girls' High School £275,"Museum £162; total £2921. Tho only two accounts which showed a . loss on the year's workings were the Public -library account (£6) and the •School of Technical Science endowment account (£189). This latter was nob ' an operative account, and was drawn upon too heavily for the support of •the institutions which derive their sustenance from it. . BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL. „ This account opened with a credit baaanco of £591 and closed with a credit balance of £691. The school fees showed a diminution, of £108, owing to the large increase of free places, but by the capitation received lose from £228 to £410. The salaries were in- • creased-by £118. l He suggested that the grant towards the school library should bo increased from £5 to £20 - or £25. There was at present a debit of £5000 overhanging the Boys' High School buildings. His own opinion was that it was not sound finance that a strong and well-endowedi institution like the Boys' High School should" carry a permanent debt. Ho had intended, when tho estimates were prepared for tho current year, proposing to tho Board that the High School account should be charged witSt £500 per year until this debt was paid off. Owing, however, to the fact that the gypj» nasinm would- absorb a large part ot • the credit ballance of the account, the proposal would have to be postponed 1 until next year.. Ia the meantime the Board should lay it down as a definite policy with TCgard to accounts that were in debt for buildings, that they should liquidate their debts at whatever -was possible per yeaT, and that the institutions sliouki be handled with that object in view. It was not possible yet, financially, for the Board to adopt the entire free placo system, in connection with tho Boys' High School, one reason, being that tbe accommodation would not bo sufficient for the extension of the classes that would follow, while tho revenue question could not be overlooked. .

GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL. Tho Girls' High School showed satisfactory turn in the tide so far a its financial position was concerned. I opened the year with a debit of £13 ' andy closed "with a credit of £13S Salaries had increased! during tho yea by £169, whioh was the average salar for the scliooip as against- £340 for th Boys' High School. A thoroughly goo library/should be established, lhirin tho year nothing whatever was spen in that - direction, the necessities c the school having compelled the mos rigid economy in all. direct ions. A application had been.made to the .ernment for an. additional grant to wards tho completion, furnishing an - equipment of tho extensions to th .Girls' HigSb School. "While he felt tha a responsibility was cast upon tli Board to provide for the compl-et .equipment of tho school, the respons iility of the Government in the matt* was "very considerable nnd out of 21 pupils attending tho school there wer only 39 at the end of last term wh were paying pupils. The school lia a capital account to its credit of £500< hut- be'-the .height of folly t trouch-uifoii that. If such should'b< come necessary to pay for the furnishin of the extensions tho free place systci should be-still more largely extende if possible, and out of the extra cap tation obtained in.th.it way, tho-cap tal"fund should be replaced from th maintenance account cf the school. H could not too strongly emphasise th of tdwi Board maintainin intact tho capital which it possesse<

• COLLEGE MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT. The Collego maintenance account began with « credit balance of £721, and closed with a debit balance of £1345. The sum of £3500 wws devoted to the.final paymentof tho long- - standing award made against "the College by tho Supreme Court in connectioa with tho division of assets at the timo of the separation of the Agricultural .College from this institu-4--<M<> &,lari€ ' 3 .-rose from £7284 to and, exhibitions increased by - 'w- St-udonts' fees Tose from £21-18 in 1900 to £2532 iv 1907.

CHAIR OF PHYSICS. m . Ho felt that- he was justified in takW m an optimistic view as to the College f finances, and thought that the time l - tort coma when tho. Board could at I onco establish, a Chair of Physics. Bwnag m nund the somewhat intimate relation which existed between Sw^TiS 8 ? )€ P. ar tment and the jchooi of Engincenn*. the matter of foundmg a .Cb.iir of Physics mi-ht re-"-?«t T % seJjao ™ ns *<*eration as to details, »m. be was quite Mtificd that the " V," 13 ,";" 3 ",Position of the College would jiistuy the establisltment of that chair ILT*- Sc}ml of Engineering was-now; sufficiently strong to be able t» <io witli a less grant from the College funds than the £550 per year,' iriKeh for-a number cf years had'been A voted to tie maintenance fund of that '. *>, school ,;^,// v CF f AIR OF COMMERCE. ;: ; o^&!:, T h e^" i * nlc ■'•was- also approaclung— ii nob already come—wiicn the fs^^Board.,,oould ,weil consider the elfcTaEi£iS2^?/:-/. ; :X;.-^-^.."-.,.'«. '.•..--....'. , •

tion of the. Lectureship of Commerce t to a Chair. Examination of tho t returns of attendances in connection t with this department of work afforded 1 satisfactory proof of the inoreaso in s popularity of those classes. Recognising that University institutions were t intended to supply the educational re- c quirements of those who proposed to t devote themselves to mercanti3e and i commercial pursuits, as well as of those t who intended to pursue educational, 1 scholastic or professional careers, his j opinion was that the more the practi- s cat side of the College was developed, t the more closely it would keep step s with modern requirements. ] SOME FIGURES. \ In 1907 there wero 342 students at ' tho College, as compared with 225 in 1902. A further gratifying feature ' was that 253 of these were matnou- j lated, as compared with 151 in 1902. ] In 1907 tho number of students who ; passed various degrco examinations of ' the New Zealand university was 62, as compared with 55 in the previous 1 year, and five Senior University Sdhoi- J arships wero secured zs against one in tho previous year. SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING. , The account opened with a debit ; I balance of £260, and closed with a I I credit balance of £lboo, representing J a nominal profit of £1920 on the year. - This, however, was more apparent ] than real, as commitments wero con- j stantly taking place, which would < probably absorb the greater part of ( the credit. Ho had, however, made j a careful analysis of the working of - this institution for tho year 1907, and estimated that thero was a normal income for the institution of £5198 , and a normal expenditure of £4255. '. leaving a working actual credit of £9-13 for the year. In view of this largo , profit, the con/iri out-ion from the en- , dcr.vment fund might very safely be reduced by £150 and the contribution from the superior education reserves by £100. This would still leave, tho institution with a working credit of, say, £700 per year. THE SCHOOL OF ART. The School of Art began the year with a credit balance of £33, which had grown at December 31st to £312. Tihe students' fees showed a decrease from £707 in 1906 to £626 for the current year, but this was more than made up* by the grants received under tho'new system for technical classes. Tho money received tho previous year from the Government for the School of Art was £600. During tho past year the grants received amounted to £1169. On the other hand, salaries increased from £lfcud to £1459. In view of the healthy state of this account, the Boaird should materially increase both the Library and general equipment of this institution, aad he suggested that £150 should be provided for apparatus and Library equipment. SCHOLARSHIPS. If tho wishes and aims of tho founders of the College were to bo given effect to, tho scholarships mi aU departments of its work muss be materially increased. The modern idea of education was one which led, by successive steps, from the iwimary school- to tho secondary, and from the secondary to the University. He would deal first with the present position. At tho Boys' High School there wore junior free places, tenable for two years, or until a holder attained his seventeenth birthday. Under this category 52 pupils were m attendance in tho closing term of 1907, and capitation was received. The second class were senior free places, tenable until holders reached their nineteenth.birthday. Under this heading there weie 41* pupils during the third term of 1907. Governors' exhibitions, i.e.., exhibitions given by the Board, had completely disappeared from tho Boys' School. Prizes in books amounting to the sum of £30 were given last year, and a leaving exhibition of £lo was also provided by the school funds, but this form of exhibition had now » ceased. There was a prizo fund called tho Thomas Millar Fund, representing , the accrued interest on an endowment i of £100. presented by tho widow of ■ that gentleman, and books to the value > represented by that sum were awarded * to the recipients. At the Girls' High School eight exhibitions were awarded to pupils within the school who espo--1 cially distinguished themselves in the annual school examinations. The cx- ■ hibition carried free education fox one ' year, and £5 if living at home, or £15 : if boarding at tho approved school i. boardinghoiise. Thero were also four ■ entrance scholarships, tenable for two " years, competitive, and carrying with i them tho same financial benefits cs '•' those to which ho liad just referred, namely, £5 and £15, according to circumstances. Under these headings, at i tho close of last year, during the last s term, only four pupils were in attendb ance at the Girls' High School. The " remainder held free places, and £75 - was expended from the school account f in paying the money benefits attached " to the exhibitions. The Helen Mac--5 ma Han Brown and Emily S. Foster i I Prizo Funds provided special prizes at ? the school. In addition also to these, there were tho junior free iilaces, tenable for two years, or until theholdk er had attained her seventeenth birth--1 day. Under this heading 142 students " attended the Girls' High School during " the last term of 1907, capitation being ' paid by the Government. There were f also free places, tenable until the holder had Tea'ohed flier > anineteen'th birth--0 day. At the College proper 9 thero were fourteen exhibitions " open . to matriculated ' students £ attending lectures at £he Col--3 lege, and tinder that heading' £240 was B charged last year, representing twelve 1 scholarships at £20 each, but the i holders received no concession in re- ' gard to fees, etc. In addition to these V there were the Haydon prizes, provided ", by {he interest on £200. and divided between the physics and chemistry I classes. The School of Engineering spent only .£4O last year on two exhi--1 bitions, and tho funds- were provided j by the College Maintenance Account. 0 . Though the school received £2000 from a the Government for specialisation, and t £1690 from endowments, none of its . funds were spent.on scholarships. At the School of Art thero wore 11 frea studentships, consisting of education only, awarded on' v the work of the year * and recommended by the director. > There were also State school soliola.r- ---* ships for boys and girls, and free " places under the Msnu.il and Teehni- " ml .Instruction Act.. No expenditure ~ appeared in the School of Art account " in connection with any of these free *• place*, the only outlay being that of " teaching, while the sum of £108 was " received during last year from the 5 Government as capitation' for the free ' place students. 5 PROPOSALS. These facts indicated that up tb the present Canterbury College had not " done its duty to any of tho instituB tions under its control in providing 6 scbaia.rships eiiher as a reward for t industry and ability, or as a means * of assisting deserving; youth to gain * higher education. The time had como 1 when they should endeavour to bracket 5 t!i4> three systems of education ior geiher, and lie ventured to propose a - means by which tliat could be done. l > It could be assumed that the primary ® and secondary systems jeere alreadY cl well connected, and ho hoped that the r time would como when the doors of 5 th<> Boys' High School would bo as c widely open as those of the Girls' High '". School. Ho came to the more import- "» ant question* whether they could n not devise -a scheme by which ■fc ihe University classes could be thrown open - much ' more - largely than at -present to those who if were in attendance- at the secondary :e schools', and others who should also i- be eligible. He" proposed' that from

the funds of tho Boys' High 801100' there should be taken £200 per year, which should be devoted to paying the University fees, at cither a college or school of engineering of students, together with, say, £5 per year for books, requisites, etc., the winners qualifying by a special examination' to t>3 arranged for by tho Beard. The money lie proposed to supplement with a sum of £50 from either the Collego maintenance fund or School of Engineering fund, according to the course selected ""by the student, providing altogether £250 for University scholarships in connection with tne -"Boys' School. This would absorb only £200 of the £291 now being received for additional rent on tho reserves, and was a very moderato proposal. For the Girls' High School he proposed that a similar sum of £50 should be taken similarly from the maintenance account and devoted ts University scholarships, this being supplemented by a further £150 from tho College maintenance account. This would give between tho two High Schools the sum of £400 per year, to be devoted to assisting the prize winners through their University careers. In addition to these, he- proposed that another £100 sliould be devoted from the College maintenance account or School of Engineering account to what he might describe as open competitive scholarship's. Tho candidate? for those should not como from cither of tho secondary schools 111 Christchurch, but should be pupils attending cny other school within the provincial" district- of Canterbury, includI ing Timaru. and they should be available not only for those attending Government schools, but also for attendants at cither Roman Catholic or other private schools, or youths who had received private tuition. In th« case of country pupils, an allowance of £20 per year should be made for Tho School of Engineering, wh.ch received £4278 last year from the Government and endowments, should bo able to devote a considerable sum towards exhibitions and scholarships/ Ho pioposed that ten open competitive scholarships, in addition to those for the Boys' High School and those to which ho had just referred, of the value of £20 ea<-h, and which could bo taken at any department of the school, should bo established. These should be- open to any youth resident ill tho Dominion, and the conditions as to non-local residents should obtain. As to tho Scnool ot Art scholarships, something should b * dono beyond granting free education to tho winners. At least £50 should be devoted from the funds of that institution, and holders' should have the right of taking the valiio of the scholarship in money. The scholarships lie had proposed amounted in value to £800 jier year. Ho suggested that it would be well within the scope of tho Minister for Education to bring dewn legislation to enablo tho local authorities of the Dominion to devote portions of their funds to scholarships a.t the various colleges in their districts, and also at the institutions of a national character. Such scholarships might well be granted at the School of Engineering, which had received recognition from the Royal Institute of Civil Engineers. Tho expenditure of £50 or £100 par year by each local body for such a purpose would never be felt by the individual ratepayer, and tho institution could be made to turn out scores of men where now tens were turned out. Tho Government might also assist by sending scholarship winners from tho different technical schools of the Dominion to tho School of Engineering in Christchurch.

NEEDS OF THE COLLEGE. Tho greatest necessity was the chemical laboratory and tho excellon* research echolarship scheme- which tho ttovornman.t bad initiated rendered the immediate extension of the chemical department necessary. Tho Coldstream accrued rentals provided £3142, and public subscriptions £81. There> was thus in hand a little over £3200 towards a work which would- necesntate an expenditure of at least £3000. The Board had a strong claim upon the Government for funds for the purpose. A further appeal should bo made to the people of tho province to assist the. College by subscription in connection with tins laboratory, and itpossi'We the oiluizens' Committee sh»u.cl. ho resuscitated to collect subscriptions. Tho Government should also to asked to bring down, legislation to , enable tho Koaci Boards, County Councils, audi mrauciuolitie- of Canterbury to assist in this important work. -The provision of a complete library for the College was, if possible, even a greater necessity. A building to cost £2000 should at onoe be undertaken for the purpose oi providing for. the proper housing or the library," ■• and the supply of books should be largely increased. There were thTeo collections of scientific teoks at present which, if add.cd together wood inako the nucleus of an exceedingly fine Coltoaa library. There were those firstly- inTtho College- library, secondly to tho Musouw, and thirdly. those belonging to the Canterbury F__!o_-r>_Jca_ Institute-, the members of which he 'believed wnld he o'lad to arxawre with tho Board lor their tooks beinc: added to the College library. A useful collection could also be obtained from the- Public Library, and rendered far mare _erviccaiblo if removed to -the College library. As to the provision- of funds, the Oo_ego account could be overdrawn to tho nrccssarv amount. Almost every professor had referred to the paramount need of extended -library facilities for the benefit of tho students. . Attention had also been drawn by several of the professors and lecturers to the insufficiency of the accommodation for the classes'. The incoming of the Normal School students had strained to the utmost tho capacity of tho lec-ture-rooms. The study and office accommodation of several professors was notoriously unsuitable for the proper carrying on cf their work. A DEAN OF THE COLLEGE. Ho was perhaps treading on dangerous ground in expressing an opinion on- another matter, which was that they had nob any prefcso-r who stocd at "tho head of the institution, in loco parentis io the be.ginr.or. Ho felt that someone should lie at the college whose business it should bo to- meet the intending student, to advise him or hor a3 to the liuves of study -that would be most sttit-blft; to exercise, in flact, a watchful care over the coliegiate career of, as far a3 possible, each person who came within the walb,' The hcwid of the College pimper at pressnt was, of course, the chairman of the Professorial Board, bait there was no fixity of tenure in that office, and as things wore at present it would not bo possible for any one professor to spend the time necessary in tho direction which he had indicated. "Whether the title of the officer lie.had ventured to snsrgest should be "dean" or ''president" was a matter-of no importance. What no" was arguing for was that there shou'd be someone who would stand at the head of the educational portion of the College and have equal responsibilities placsd upon him in 'connection with that portion as he (the chairman) ihad in ccmMctaon with the frnanci-1 oortion. The effect, he believed, would be to s>ecure a, greater amounit of individuality in connection with the training of the students. LACK OF INDIVIDUALITY.