GUIDED UNIVERSITY TOURS

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30793, 3 July 1965, Page 1

GUIDED UNIVERSITY TOURS

Conducted tours of the University of Canterbury central and Ilam campuses are now being offered to the public, Christchurch organisations, and country groups to give a better understanding of present activities and projected developments. Appointments for tours are now being made at the university information office and senior students will be invited next week to apply for selection as guides. About 12 will be chosen for a start and tours will be offered on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons initially but the whole scheme is being kept flexible so that it can be adapted to the demand. Many American universities offered such tours and built up tremendous good wiil, said the information officer (Mr E. T. Beardsley). Some British universities found interest so great that they allowed commercial concerns to arrange the tours. Canterbury’s plan was an innovation for New Zealand. Mr D. Botherway, president of the Students’ Association, said he expected a good response to the appeal for guides. Harvard and Yale had corps of guides in which selection carried such prestige that When five guides

recently retired on leaving there were 400 applications for the vacancies. Canterbury University halfhour tours are being organised sectionally—city campus or Ham or both together as requested. In the city visiting groups will probably meet under the university clock tower, be given a thumb-nail history, and then shown Lord Rutherford’s den, certain teaching departments, the library, the Students’ Union building and the hall. Alternative routes will be available so that the elderly can avoid stairs but those able will climb to see some of the present congestion and the use being made of every corner. For the Ilam tour transport will be arranged privately, vehicles will be guided round the Science School, the new Students’ Union building, and sites for later units and there will then be tours on foot of the Engineering School. Guides Training Mr J. W. Bluck, a student with experience as a tourist courier, will assist in the training of guides. He said

applications for selection would be received all next week and, when about a dozen had been chosen, they would have a fortnight’s training. Pleasing personality, ability to talk interestingly, and enthusiasm /for the university would be prerequisites. Before taking parties round, guides would have a written examination on their knowledge of the university. Tour parties must have a minimum of six members though individuals may join parties and it is unlikely that any guide will take more than a -dozen. Compact parties are wanted so that all can hear easily and see the university in action without interfering with its work. Each visitor

i will receive a brochure de- ; scribing the university’s de- : velopment and future plans. I Apart from parties who may telephone the information office to arrange their own ■ tours, Mr Beardsley is informing all tourist agencies that group travel parties and over- , seas tourists will be provided with student guides by arrangement with the university. More than 10,000 visitors have attended biennial displays at the Engineering School. From this show of public interest the organisers > are confident that wider tours will be popular, particularly as there will be striking new developments to be seen for many years.