UNIVERSITIES OF AMERICA

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22197, 14 September 1937, Page 10

UNIVERSITIES OF AMERICA

Impressions of Otago Students SPORT COMMERCIALISED [THE PRESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, September 13. Some impressions of University life in the United States and Canada were given by two' Otago University law graduates, Messrs J. H. Kemnitz and C. Pledger, who returned to Wellington to-day by the Awatea after a debating tour of American and Canadian universities. They left New Zealand in January, and under the auspices of the National Students' Federation of America travelled widely through that country debating and lecturing. There were about 1200 universities in the United States, said Mr Kemnitz. They ranged from small institutions of only 150 students to such vast organisations as the University of California, with 30,000 students. Actually ths University of California was broken up, not all those students being at the main centre, Berkeley; but in ihe case of Columbia Unive'sity there were actually 26,000 students at one centre. In New York the big universities did not, of course, give nearly such a personal supervision to the undergraduate or direct studies to the same extent as the smaller ones* On account of their wonderful facilities they were invaluable for post-graduate studies and research work. From the point of view of individual undergraduates a college of about 400 was practically ideal. Columbia ranked first among the American universities, ahead of Harvard and Yale, and, in spite of the high reputation these two held, they were not really representative.

Specialist Studies Of the others many specialised in the study of certain subjects, as Cornell did in medicine, Michigan in law, Chicago in social science, and Columbia in public administration. A lot of undergraduates worked their way through university, earning fees by part-time occupation. It was not thought unbecoming to work as waiters or dishwashers in college cafeterias. Such undergraduates, of course, couid not afford to live in expensive fraternities, but with motor-cars, radio sets, and parties fraternities were not altogether conducive to work. ' Sport was greatly commercialised, and many undergraduates were able to work their way through college on their strength in some particular branch of sport. For instance, a certain college might be particularly anxious for an outstanding young footballer in its team, but wtyan he came before the dean, although anxious to work his way through, lie might appear incapable of any service which could be of the slightest use to the college apart from football. Finally, in desperation, the dean would cast his eye on an eight-day clock on the mantelpiece, and would offer the student 25 dollars a week to keep it wound up. Thus, the college would secure its footballer. Lavish Endowments Most of the big colleges were splendidly equipped and lavishly endowed. Some hud a teaching staff of one tutor to nine students. The main library of the University of California contained 1.000.000 volumes and in addition each faculty had its own separate library. The gymnasiums were superbly fitted. Mr Keinnitz described instances of changing rooms where one turned on the hot water by pushing a button with the foot, and dried oneself without a towel on a jet of hot air. The keenest interest was taken in football, baseball, and basketball games. For some months in the middle of winter all out-door sport was imposs.bie, and basKctball was the principal interest. It was a very fine, fast game as they played it. Big matches were great speciscJcs. There were wireless announcers, and leaders organised yells. Fec'J/ng ran high among Uic partisans of cither side. Mr Kcmnitz said that of the only 10 or so decision debates, they lost only three, but most of the debating was non-competitive. He understood that arrangements were bting made by the debate coach of I-e Moyn? i\egvO University, Memphis, for a team oi three undergraduates and a coach to tour Australia and New Zealand next summer. He added that the tour had been a wonderful opportunity of gaining an insight into American university life.