U.S. PROFESSOR OF STATISTICS

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28010, 3 July 1956, Page 7

U.S. PROFESSOR OF STATISTICS

INTEREST IN SCHOOL MATHEMATICS MR w. W. SAWYER’S CLUB PRAISED ..Professor S. S. Wilks, who holds 2 e r» chair mathematical statistics at Princeton University in the United states, is visiting New Zealand under a Carnegie Corporation grant, to meet workers in his field. He said in an interview that he had no special Project, but when pressed, admitted mat a meeting with Mr W. W. Sawyer P the mathematics department "of canterbury University College was something he had looked forward to tor some years.

Mr Sawyer’s mathematics club for sixth form pupils in Christchurch Pas created great interest in the United States.” Professor Wilks said. * attended a meeting last Friday evening and I'm sure there is nothing Quite like it anywhere else in the *’orld. I am very interested in the general problem of teaching mathematics and here I think we may have something really valuable.” Another interest for Professor Wilks at Canterbury College was statistical research which is being done on sec°ndary school resuits as a means of Predicting performance at the university, and their implications for the future selection and guidance of students. He studied the findings recently published by Dr. Paul Burnham, of Yale University, and had talks with staff in the education department of the college who are continuing the survey. Professor Wilks has visited all the , Universities in Australia. He was j Pleased with the amount of applieu

statistical methods being used in government. industry. business, and science. He will go to Wellington today and spend some time in the Government Statistician’s office ana in the applied mathematics laboratory of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Rese'arch. His Wellington visit will also coincide with the conference of the New -Zealand Statistical Association. Later, Professor Wilks will visit Auckland.