Mother and daughter receive degrees

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34146, 6 May 1976, Page 6

Mother and daughter receive degrees

A mother and daughter, Mrs Ailsa and Miss Erin McGifford, were among the University of Canterbury graduands to receive arts degrees yesterday.

Mrs McGifford. who is senior teacher of junior classes at Governor’s Bay Primary School, was capped B.A. in French. Erin, who is studying at the New Zealand Library School in Wellington. was capped M.A. in ; English. Ailsa McGifford passed six units towards her degree during 1938, 1939 and 1940. After retaining her interest in languages, she decided to finish the degree, gaining the last three units in 1972, 1974 and 1975. GOWNS WORN In her early days at university, Mrs McGifford remembers small classes of about 20 students. “Students had to wear undergraduate i gowns to practically all lec-

tures and if you did not you were rather frowned upon,” she said. She also remembers afternoon teas provided by the Students’ Association consisting of a pot of tea and cinnamon scones for 9d. There was less oral work in languages then, she said, with no language laboratories. When she returned to university, Ailsa McGifford found tape recorders “a bit awesome.” Although Erin was in a flat while the two were studying, they did come together to discuss’ their studies. Asked whether she had any plans for further study, Ailsa McGifford said she would like to get her letters in music. She plays the piano. When Erin completes her study in Wellington, she hopes to become a librarian in Christchurch. On Tuesday evening, the

McGiffords attended the annual dinner for women graduands held by the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Federation of University Women, at the Te Kura Lounge.