Only the beginning?

Press, 8 May 1980, Page 6

Only the beginning?

“Graduation” or “commencement”? This question was nut to about 500 university graduands awaiting their capping in a colourful ceremony at the Christchurch Town Hal] yesterday. The Chancellor of the University of Canterbury, (Miss J. M. Herbison) presiding over her first graduation, told the audience a story attributed to Benjamin Franklin: a man was so learned he could say the word “horse” in nine different languages — but

his ignorance was such that he bought a cow to ride on. “In the past, education has been seen as a process to fit young people for adult life,” Miss Herbison said. “But in a period of great technological e.nd social change, it would be folly to think education will provide adequately for the next 25 years.” Advocating a policy of continuing education throughout adult life, Miss Herbison said that the quality of life

in the days ahead depended on a more informed populace. She emphasised the future importance of technical institutes and small, voluntary educational groups. “I believe that life is a process of becoming,” she said. “Education is not a process to be ‘got through at a whip’ early in life. New Zealand must make the leap into continuing education if it is not to become, in the long run, under-privileged.” List of graduands, Page 28.