Student Hostels

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31380, 27 May 1967, Page 12

Student Hostels

Sir,—With much fanfare the Rutherford Hall appeal hag got underway. Thia is another church hostel, not a university hostel. A university hostel is a secular institution whose entry requirements include prowess in sport and academic fields. Here an atmosphere of religious freedom is provided in which a young adult may adopt any or no religion as he so desires. I have grave misgivings as to the part compulsory, religious instruction will play in the life of the impressionable newcomer to a church hostel Presumably the local residents will give only a limited amount to provide hostels for university students and the Government is committed to heavily subsidising these donations, Surely this money should be used to build university hostels, or Is religious convictions to become a prerequisite of entry to a student hostel?—Yours, etc., P. D. LUCAS. February 23, IM7. [The chairman of the Rutherford Hall Committee (the Very Rev. Malcolm Wilson) replies: "P. D. Lucas has apparently been misinformed. Religious convictions will not be a prerequisite of entry to Rutherford Hall, Which will receive students irrespective of their religious convictions. Nor will ‘entry requirements’ at Rutherford Hall ‘include prowess In sport and academic fields.* Students will be admitted according to their need and to their willingness to profit by , and contribute to the community life of the hall. Within the hell there will be no ‘compulsory religious instruction* though there will be a Christian witness and influence.*']