U.S. PROFESSOR ARRIVES

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27064, 12 June 1953, Page 8

U.S. PROFESSOR ARRIVES

NINE MONTHS’ STAY IN CHRISTCHURCH MODERN EDUCATIONAL STUDIES Professor Robert J. Havighurst, who holds the chair of education at the University of Chicago, is certain to become a well-known figure during the next nine months as a Fulbright visitor to Canterbury University College. He is 6ft 4in tall. His immediate problem will be to settle his family. Mrs Havighurst and their five children will arrive in August. The oldest girl, a university graduate, will take a job in Christchurch. The other two girls will attend Canterbury College. The two boys will go to secondary, and primary schools respectively. Asked on his arrival last evening whether he knew the problem of obtaining enrolment, Professot Havighurst laughed. “It won’t be any harder than finding a house,” ne said. Three schemes of work will be followed by Professor Havighurst while he is in New Zealand. AS a consultant to the faculty ol education, he will describe American trends in “general education.” This programme to give students general background for good citizenship as distinct from vocational training seemed to-have caused a good deal of interest in New Zealand, Professor Havighurst 'said. During his stay he will give a course of lectures on the psycholog)’ of the adolescent. Professor Havighurst said this would be a broad approach—“the life and times of boys and girls today.” Professor Havighurst also plans a research programme. He has already learned that American and New Zealand communities have their similarities and differences. He wants to learn how the schools are related to the structure of societies. The subjects taught, how far pupils went with studies, the product expected 01 schools, and other considerations all had a bearing on how these institutions dovetailed into the society, he said. He hoped to travel widely in the Dominion to observe a good crosssection of the people. Professor Havighurst was a teacher in / Ohio, where he was bom, and in Wisconsin before he advanced his studies.at Harvard. At the University of Chicago he is chairman of the Committee on Human Development In 1947-48 Professor Havighurst was field-representative of the Rockefeller Foundation in Central Europe and during that time he attended the UNESCO seminars in Paris. He has also been part-time director of the European Rehabilitation Programme of the Rockefeller Foundation.