RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31740, 25 July 1968, Page 16

RANDOM REMINDER

THE PLAY WAY

It is often said, by those who have had the experience, that there is more of value in a university degree course than sitting in lecture halls and picking up the pearls of wisdom which are distributed there. The young blood is stimulated by the exchange of ideas over cups of black coffee in dark places, by the excitement of the awareness of self that comes from participating in protest marches irrespective of their purpose, by the sense of daring and freedom that comes from using four-letter words in public without the fear of parental admonishment, and the finding oneself which comes from pitting

the young human animal against the challenges of nature and society in the form of trails to be blazed, mountains to be climbed and new social experiments to be conducted. One student of engineering supplemented his formal education by a particularly daring exploit He blazed a hitherto unconquered trail. In broad daylight, before the approving gaze of his fellows, he mounted the old building, then occupied by the School of Engineering, in Worcester Street, gained its topmost ridge and then proceeded along the crest of the roof-line from one building to another until he had completely circumnavigated the quadrangle. He descended triumphant-

ly and, like Chichester, received a tumultuous welcome—a bold, courageous feat of pathfinding accomplished.

Clearly such experience can stand pne in good stead. He is now a successful engineer, practising in Christchurch and concerned with the planning of roads, streets and motorwavs. On Saturday, July 27, the students are opening the School of Engineering to the public. Thia is their open day which they organise every three years. If not necessarily an opportunity to see them at their, informal best, at least we shall be able to see what the more serious side of university life offers to the student of engineering.