ST. ANDREWS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19841, 31 January 1930, Page 13

ST. ANDREWS.

SCOTLAND'S OLDEST UNIVERSITY. FAMOUS SEAT OF LEARNING. "Well, we can play golf," replied Dr. W. Saddler, yesterday to a reporter's query as to what the ancient Scottish University of St. Andrews was especially noted for. Dr. Saddler, who with his wife and child, arrived in Christchurch only yesterday to take up the Chair of Mathematics at Canterbury College, after a few days spent in Wellington came straight from St. Andrews, where he was lecturer in mathematics. He himself has had a distinguished scholastic career, and be went on to show that St. Andrews, with its University, had even more accomplishments than being the home of that royal and ancient game. Over 300 Years Old. Professor Saddler explained that St. Andrews was a University venerable with age, having been founded about 1600. It was the oldest of the Scottish Universities, and one of the tour main ones, the other three being at Edinburgh, Glasgow, and AberdeenIt functioned in much the same way internally as did the University Colleges in New Zealand, having similar lecture and examination systems. Beyond this there was also supervision ot students in their private study. Itwas much more fully staffed, however, there being between 700 and 800 students, while the staff numbered quite one hundred. Development of Research. Ihe arts faculty was the biggest and perhaps the most important, but the University had a very thorough medical school, while its success in chemistry had been very marked Research in' its different branches was the most significant development in the University curriculum of late years, and everywhere facilities for undertaking j it were increasing St. Andrews took i its share in this by training many of | the expert chemists and expert physicists who were in demand in ! the big industrial concerns. Not only I in science, but in all branches of knowj ledge research eouid be undertaken by those who showed epecial ability.

Naturally this was making for the advancement of knowledge. Professor Saddler himself is especially interested in algebraic geometry as a field of research. He has made considerable investigation into the invariant theory, and its relation to and bearing on the theory of relativity. He will continue this work in Christchurch. No Government Control. Referring to University control, Dr. Saddler said it must be understood that a University like St. Andrews was much more richly endowed than New Zealand University Colleges could possibly be, and this made things much easier. T'ho Government, however, gave a big grant each year, but it had not asked for, nor had it obtained, any voice in the control of. University affairs, either financial or academic. Certainly a Government Commission came round about once every five years and looked into the finances, but, otherwise, the policy was entirely directed by two Boards. The financial side was cared for by a Board composed of what were really business men. AH matters of academic policy and the direction of domestic affairs generally fell on what was virtually a Professorial Board, which was known as the Senatus The head of this body was the Principal of the University. Thus the success of the University depended on itself, for it was largelv a law unto itself. Some attempt had been made just recently to evolve a system of adult education under University control. The staff of the College gave courses of lectures that were considered suitable for and advantageous to the layman.