CHRISTCHURCH MAN BACK FROM STUDY IN AMERICA

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28475, 3 January 1958, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH MAN BACK FROM STUDY IN AMERICA

A tremendous social pressure in the United States was for a college education so that a person could take his or her place in society as an educated person, said Dr. J. J. Small, Ph.D., who has returned to Christchurch with Mrs Small after spending two years and four months at the Ohio State University, first as a Fulbright scholar taking a course for the doctorate in philosophy, and then as a teacherstudent. Dr. Small was a school teacher in Christchurch and later a temporary lecturer in education at Canterbury University before leaving for America. He was a prominent sportsman, being the No. 8 forward in the Canterbury Rugby team which won the Ranfurly Shield from Wellington in 1953. He played in 17 shield defence matches. He will lecture at Canterbury University this year.

An impression that the American undergraduate was somewhat less matured than the undergraduates in New Zealand and probably much less well prepared when he went to university was gained by Dr Small.

“Of course, it is related to their idea of making college education widely available to high school graduates.’’ he said in an interview The universities were looked upon more as a finishing school than in New Zealand where studentship was more related to entry into the professions One tremendous advantage about the American universities from his point of view, and also that of other New Zealanders was that more assistance was given when study was at an advanced level, he said Through the system of graduates teachine freshmen graduates working towards higher degrees were helped lin their studies. They were paid and studied and taught at the I same time

The American undergraduate did much more part-time work than did New Zealand undergraduates. He would work fiv<or six hours during the day and even three or four hours at night He broke up his day into study at the university and work outside. Amazing Size The sheer size of the American state universities was amazing, said Dr. Small About 22,000 students were at the Ohio State University, yet it was only fifth in size of the American universities Bv New Zealand standards, the American library facilities were exceptional All students did much required reading in the university libraries. They relied on a great number of books in any course. Although in New Zealand students were expected to be familiar with the works, they concentrated on a few books. "If the undergraduate is not as well prepared and probably less matured in his outlook than the New Zealander, he does pretty well by the time he finishes at university.” said Dr. Small. The °ourse for a bachelor’s degree was a very tightly packed one of four years In medicine and a number of other professional courses in New Zealand, the student began straight in on them but in the United States he was required first to obtain his B.A degree. The medical course of four years followed It was an eieht-years grind for the American bu + he was a doctor of medicine when he finished, not a bachelor as he was in New Zealand. Research Aided A fantastic size 11-storey hosnital attached to the Ohio State University was used for special research projects, he said. In the fields of not only medicine bul psychology. engineering. and chemistry, grants were made bv the United States Government. The Defence Department, for instance, financed psychological research Tn other fields, such as education these big grants for research projects were not available and the facilities suffered a little by comparison Dormitory accommodation for 13.000 students was being built at Columbus f or the Ohio State University. Women students outnumbered men. The college had its own police force, power plant, telephone exchange, post office, and laundry. The university was big business, with a colossal servicing staff. “Ohio State is noted as a great athletics place,” said Dr. Small I “It has great football power. The stadium seats 82.000. and it is I packed every game. “I did not enjoy American footi ball as much as I do Rugby. It is [a very static game, play starting land stopping frequently, and it ' takes two hours to play an hour’s [ football Control of Football * “But they have something in ’ the way they control their games The players spend half an hour .on the field and another halfhour inside warming up before the game and they are really fit

and warm and ready when they take the field. That method makes a big difference to their injury rate, which is very low compared with Rugby. “They have five referees on the field, and very few illegal tactics are tried. You ‘could not get away with them, because of the number of referees and the penalties for illegal play really hurt the team.”

When he had shown Americans photographs of the Springbok matches in .New Zealand in t 1956, they were amazed that the Rugby players did not wear shoulder pads and helmets, said Dr. Small. While New Zealanders talked about their big football matches for days, Americans forgot the game as soon as it was over. They attended the matches as an essential social occasion, made gay with flowers, and usually dined out at night. Education Standards Americans were becoming very greatly concerned about the educational standards in the sciences because of the Russian satellite going up and their satellite not going up, said Dr. Small. They were still confused over events and were arguing about what should be done. “Perhaps their system, with its particular code of values, is the better, but there are a lot of voices crying out against it and saying they must change in some direction to do something like the Russians are doing in their education,” he said. In the field of education, the universities, unlike those in New Zealand, trained and certified the teachers. Teacher training was like any other University department. All students for teaching had to undergo a four-year arts course before being certified by :he State.

A far bigger proportion of American teachers returned to the university for further study than in New Zealand, he said. In the summer, the education departments were very busy with special sessions and teachers returned to work and to get better qualifications.

“One marked difference from New Zealand in education is that in the United States there are so nany avenues for promotion," said Dr. Small. “Each city and school district has its own administrative set-up. Men are taking jobs as principals and so oh before they are 30 years of age, which they cannot get here until they are at least 40. There are few opportunities to advance for women, with whom the loss to marriage is about the same as in New Zealand.”