UNIVERSITY SENATE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 108, 30 January 1908, Page 7

UNIVERSITY SENATE.

TO AVOID "CRAM." PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE FOR MATRICULATION. Tin!'' University Senate spent.another busy day yesterday. A by the Rev. A. Cameron; to refer to. V\rccc.ss .committoe ■ tlio. question of Accepting: the certificate of; masters of approved secondary .schools in placo of the matriijulatiou examination, was passed : after an, interesting discussion. , Tho question of giving a .travelling, scholarship. to.graduates.; iti Medicine was ;referred to tbo finance Committee to. report, and it was agreed to add Elementary Agriculture in the. 'list' of matriculation subjects. ■• ■i IV results of medical- examinations aro given. ill another column.- , -« PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE FOR MATRICU- ; LATIOMi THE KVII.S or "CIUMf" - The Rqv. A.;Cameron moved;—" That the question of accepting tho coftificate of nlas-, ters 'of 'approved Secondary Sch6o|s in place of the matriculation examination: bo referred to: a rccess com'mitte.o to consider and to report to the rtcxt meeting of Senate'." The mover said that the whole qtiostioil of examinations should, be -.seriously faced by the Senate, and. this might lie the,;' beginning. The, course he recommended was followed in America, nild approved by Dr. Starr Jordan..,ln Germany tlie leaving certificate of the. principal schools Waa regularly accepted as tho condition Of entrance: to the University, tlio otlly. provision being that these schools must have a course of iiino years: 'Hn did hot intend that his motion' should include itll secondary schoolsthe Senate should make li classification of school? for tho plifpose; and before a School should have tho power of giving these certificates it would havo t.o satisfy the Senate With regard to its curriculum. Olio advantage Would be, that many students who now ..'matriculate from .tho fifth forms, of secoUdsi.fy sChOoIN would go on into the sixth form.. It would also he a .stimulus to tho,secondary schools to; create this approved class. Further, it Was desirable to give liberty ,of action to ,tiio : teachers in .secondary schools, 1:110 Woi'k of 'which Was , clogged and cramped the examination system. Mr. .Cameron quoted from. i). ...report' laid tho '. Senate'' : in . 1904,.'' summing < up the opinions of. the principal teachers In ?ccondary schools . On tho' present .system. They all hinted fit n tendency to, pure "cram" and memory 'work.' The life, of-the school -was dominated by oiit.side influeilcixs in form of examinations. If pupils , Who had passed five Or six yeiirs llilder an 4J)provetl, secondary school curriculum wero admitted to the. University on n teacher's Certificate the, schools would enjoy new liberty, and the University woukL reccivo' bettor . students. Ho that the abolition of matriculation ywould,- involve financial loss,'hut urged that.that should/not .be considered. . : , , possible safeguards: : ■ Mr. Ilogljfcii seconded ■ the motion. The scheme recommended was associated with difficulties, and some of the best American Universities , retained as . a safeguard the 'right of examining in pile or more subjects any .candidato recommended • for. admission. The nine years' course 'antecedent to University admission in. Germany ineludtyl\loiii: ■years' primary, and five.years', secpiidary'ieducAtioii. In England a good l deal Was. being dotto .iiu. "the direction indicated,'-'' by Mr. CamerOiij the Universities accepting -aa reasons far-admission ,the. 3 cftrt,ifioat.eß ' the School Examiners', Symliciitej'".ivlioso examinations were based oil the 'individual' jprogrammes of the different schools, the syndi.ca.to.reporting ,to the University,-.as .to whether Such/programmes were or,.«cie |iot : . satisfactory. ,■ • : ' :: - ■ ■..,;■ 1 ■ Air. ■ I'. Bii'unie, K.C., .■ spoke in support of-'the motion. . He. had long been impressed with the superiority of. the America)) system, and ithonght 'that a much safer and-better test might'be conducted on tho lines of Mr. Cameron's proposal than was afforded by a mere examination. i . THE CHANCELLOR'S VIEWS.'' The Chancellor did not think that thoy wero ready for this cbiinge. The main-object of the matriculation examination-was to see 1 that tho student was'fit to go oil with tho subjects of-the University when he reached them. In Scotland for centuries thero was' no matriculation at all, but tho. Scottish Universities, as. exudation .progressed, had had to Adopt matriculation.. It would ho most invidious of tho University to say that the certificates Of certain schools should be. accepted as entitling to admission, and,that; tho pupils of other schools "must- submit to examination. It-would mean that from timo to timo the University would-have to examine schools and ; stafls. If thoy did not do that, the lowest secondary schools' would dominate: tho University,, for if they Were to tako pupils from ■such schools,' who were not- ready for University teaching, they would, hnvo to modify the standard of, the University to'suit tho pupils. AVere they tiVbavo any examinations at all? He found that, though leaving certificates admitted men to English Universities, most of the pujilj'o schools in England: wero subject to examinations. Tim University of London examined about- eighty county and grammar schools, and gavo certificates entitling to admission to the University. A chargo was niailo iV examining schools/ If that,was to be \dono hero he could understand tho change. They could not get'rid of examinations, and if they wore to take the word of a master of a secondary school as to what students wero capable of a University course, there would be endless trouble with parents of .disappointed pupils who did not get the certificate, and also in regard to boys who found, after a. time, that they could not go on with the course. His 'opinion was that the inspection of the secondary schools should bo handed over to the University, as it was conducted by the London University nmy, and that all the examinations for the Civil Service, etc., should come under tho .University, as was practically the case now ill Australia. The University would bo the sdle examining body in Now' Zealand. He .believed that that woiild be in tho interests of economical management., and that the specialisation would mean efficiency. Instead up their examinations, they should 'ask that they should bo increased, and that tho University's certificates alouc should be 'adopted throughout the Dominion. The secondary schools were, not, so long established as to justify a change of system, and tHcy were still increasing, new district high schools being established every day. ]f they '.t'r.ied to differentiate among tho various institutions ill Wellington, and if the University said it would recognise, say, the Wellington College, St. Patrick's- College, and the Wellington Girls' College,'and leave, out the district high schools, that would .bo 'entering a sea of troubles. He thought that, they should rather extend their examining functions than diminish them. OTHER OPINIONS. Professor J. '.Macmillan lirown opposed tbo motion," which, he said, would increase tlie University's 'work, since it. would necessitate constant' examinations of the secondary schools, whose standards were always changing'; The proposal would also destroy the financial basis of the I Diversity. He thought that matriculation should consist, of two divisions, one for admitting students to the University,.and the other as a test for pupils leaving school, and that the age of entrance for tho former division should be raised from 16 to 17., Professor Sale referred to the appalling ignorance of some, students who passed* JlatI'Trulation. The present system v.',is very defective. .Mr. Hay thought, thai the University of New 'Zealand was in danger of becoming one of the most conservative in the British Kmpire. unless it dei'ided to advance with the limes, and commenced tn jjei. it* house in nrdoi\ lie would support- tbo motion, lipcause he thought, that if a practical scheme could be devised, if would have widespread .benefits. He was also anxious to suppress era m. ' Profcosor Shand thought that the eloment

of cram had been exaggerated. The' natural Corollary to Mr. Caiilonm's iirOposal would Un, to give degrees on the recommendation oj' professors. . ■ The Hon. .L A;..T010, K.C., pointed out, t]int the; matriculation examination seemed til be ingrained in the public; lliev appeared t|l like it for the status',which'it gitve, alld its abolition would Certainly be. resented. . ..'The, liev. A..Cameron urged that tile, coillmoji ■ telidelic.v to nliike matriculation the end of-education Was Only harmful. iTho motion Was carried by' 12 - votes to i;TRAVELLING SCHOLARSHIP FOR 1 ;l MEDICINE. The Rev. A. Cameron moved; "That the question of , giving a travelling scholarship to.graduates, in Jledicino be- referred to tho ■Financo ..Committee to report.". i The motion #»s seconded by Professor J.' 'Hi Scott. _ . ;' Professor J. Macmillan' Brown said that ho lt'oiild support the motion, if tliero had : not liecii ;so matiy examples of the finest New Zealand talent being., handed , over Itee to Other countries, who needed it less than New Zejthmd. The effect ..of, oilf ' best talpiit Would be disastrous, And the best Won whb .took, these travelling,scholarships, woitld settle down... ill One 'of the .older countries, where they ..could cpnuliand larger salaries. Th(*y should not deliberately cttcopl'hge this exportation of their best talent. He would oppose the motion. The Hoti. C. C. BoWeii thought tlliifc the yOUtli htitl■ isolation of this coUlitry made it itiiiisually .desirable that its young, men should travel, and if SOiilO of thoW.tfefe lost to New Zealand tliOfeby, they Would do sonio goOdi'to, their oWil country by making a reputation in another country. Sir. Hogbeii spoke, in strong support of travelling scholarships. .. New' Zealand was part of the Kmpire, and part of. tho world, and/must expcct to give ds well as'to receive. ■ ' . I. j)r., M'Dowell supported the motion. Ho would like to See other travelling scholarshipsestablished, but he thought that medical students had the lirsfc claim. The. inotion was agreed it). ; F.I IN E MANAGERS' CERTIFICATES. ...jlf. Gordon rtioVed: '.'That the Rellate deem it desirable that the Government shoilld recognise the high standard of fiUalififiations thiit graduates m ,rrti'nii)g engihtjoring. have bofore obtaining-their degree, and amend tho Mining and Coal Mining Acts to enable those graduates to obtain Jlihe Managers' Certiticates on tho production of cei-tilicates from authorised niaiiagefs that thoy have bceii ciliployed 1 in 1 thoy underground' workings., of a'lriinc 'for a period of tliVeO yeai'S. ' :•'< . Professor J. Macrnillan Brown seconded the motion. . i- ' , ■', ■ • After ,soniO discussion'.the proposition was carried.,■/ POWER TO TRANSFER. /, , AN ALLEGED ABUSK. ' Mr. "Baume moved:'—l.' "That iir the opinion of the The tlniversity Act Ahlendmoiit. Act 1902,' Section 0, shoilld be so amended as to prevent the jibuse Of thti power to transfer,"' 2. "That this resolution bo trhimhiitted to tho Hon.. the At*-torney-Goneral." • The '.mover explained thiit it was' possible for a graduate to vote for the election to the. Senate of a graduates' member in one district, and a little whjlo later to vote for another district, and this was happening ill the case of by-elections. The Act provided two full iiualificfttibns, the first- providing that a graduate coitld votoi lor a mail iii tho district on the books of whose University bis name appeared,; and also a residential ijualillcatioh, blit- it' ivis -nOyer intended that ho should bo abl eto..exe.rciso. both. He urged that, if a. man from Otago University removed his name-from, the register to'conic and rote at'Wcllingtoii,, he! should not bo allowed to ro-transfer his uamb to tho Otago register till ho had, resided ill Otago lor Ihreo inontlis. ■ ■ ' '' : ■ - The Hoii. J. A. Tolo seconded the inotion. ' Dr. Fitehet.t did iiot think'that, the pr!>.ctico - complained of existed to any great extent,; and if it,'did, tho-doublo right, Was ■exercised for gOod.':The object of the statute was to keep -alive the practical- interest of a graduate in his college after lie had left it: ■ Prpfcssor J. Macinillan Brown was of the same, opinion. . .Mr. Hay thought :that the, statute, was liable to abuse. At the same timo he would not like : to see tho right of transfer takdn away altogether. He moved as an aihendmonfc tho following addition to the lirsfc part of the inotion: " By adding tho following words to.tho section, 'and Snail not bo entitled to nave.his name transferred w;ithin one .veal - after bis name shall have been previously transferred.' ■ Tho aniondmont .was not seconded. Mr. Baunifi said that tho. object of the statute was to give each district v the right In select a gradiiato from its own number, aiid this was being evaded now. After further discussion the motion was adopted. . ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURE. Mr. Hogben moved" That, Element ary Agriculture' be. added-to tho list of subjects in the Matriculation Examination, and that the matter be. referred to the Science Conimitiee to franio' a syllabus." ■ The mover said that a good many students in tho District High Schqpls and smaller .High .Schools had been , urged to. take, up elementary ng('i.culturo as part of a science training, and tho •syllabus in which this subject' Was included provided' for. a very sound and general scientific course. : Many of . these schools would have to give up the subject, if it was not included in matriculation. Professor J, Jlacmillau Brown seconded the, motion, was agreed to without, discussion. A CURIOUS POINT. MATRICULATION AND SOLICITORS' GENERAL KNOWLEDGE. ■ The Law Committee's'report, as published yesterday, was adopted, with tho exception of tho following clause;—" A question lias been raised as to the construction of Cluuso 4 of the regulations for tho professional examinations in law (page 205 of tho Calendar). It. has been tho practice, in dealing with tho matriculation results, when a candidate has obtained slightly less than the examiner's minimum in some subject, to treat tho ease as a conditional pass, and to pass the candidate in that subject for matriculation if excellence is shown in other subjects. The 'committee is of'opinion that any'candidate who has passed the .Matriculation Examination, passing in Latin in tho manner abovementioned, is, Under Clause 4 of tho Law Professional Examination Regulations, entitled to a pass in the Solicitors' General Knowledge Examination. That the. attention of their Honours the Judges be drawn to this matter with a view to tho amendment of the regulations if so desired." Mr.'Hay,'who moved the. adoption ol' the report, said that the committee could only bold, in strict accordance with the regulations, that such si udents wero entitled to tho pass in the Solicitors' examinations, whether that, was the original intention or not,. The regulat ion says Any candidate for admission as solicitors who shall have passed the matriculation in the University of New Zealand, 4 passim in Latin-as a sion as solicitor who nh;K have passed tinexamination in General knowledge required to be passed by candidates for admission as I solicitors." The Chancellor thought- that, a candidate could not, bo snid to have passeil in Latin as a subject, il' he had really passed in something else. The rule of allowing proficiency in other subjects to atone for :i slight deficiency in one subject, bail never been applied to the Solicitors' General Knowledge examination with regard to Lai in. Forty or fifty caudidnL's bail been failed this year lor that examination, who should be allowed to pass if the committee's recommendation were adopted. This Was a matter thai should not lie lightly dealt with. It was a question of adopting a new principle dial: had never been laid down before, and tliny would have to pass forty or fifty candidates whom the Itccw-s Coiiiniitlee li.nl failed. Professor -I. .Macmillan llrown said thai, though candidates had been passed I'nr matriculation, whu had not obtained an absolute pass in Latin, their names bad never been handed ou to tlm uommitteo which .dealt with the solicitori' examination as

those of caiididutes who had-passed iii that subject. I ' , ' ' Jlr. Dauino submitted that if tho Law Committee was informed' that a candidate' had passed Matriculation, and lie had nnl.v> taken the six essential subjects, including Latin, tho committee must conclude that lie had jiilssorl in Latin ilnd thiit therefore lie. liad qualified for the Solicitors' General Knowledge. 'The Chancellor: He could iiot, have passed ill Latin if tho examiner did iiot' pass hii'n, Mr. .Uaumo: Then he could not have passed Matriculation. A Warm argument ensued 011 this point. - Mr. Von Haast said that the University stultified itself ill the. eves.of students bv Saying that-' :i candidate hail passed iu Latin for one examination and ' had not: passed iii dt for another (iii the same paper. i The Chancellor said .lie' learitedi.from' the Assistant-Registrar that' 78 additional candidates wbtild ' pllsS their, Solicitors' General Knowledge this jveitr it the hicoiilnioiidatioii' iii. the report; were, adopted. • v The Hon. .tl. A. Tolo moved as an nnieiuL -ijiciit, which Professor Shand seconded, that, the word "not" .be inserted before, 4 'entitled" ■in • the recommendation. The Chancellor said tljat it- was new to liim to hear that the Recess Committee would pass a student in a subject, if the examiner had marked him "fail." ' He.' had 'thought that "this was only done when tllo. examiner liwarded a conditional pass.. It.,was explained' that- ab.ntie period I 'the proportion et failures, in ;ni!ltrictilatioii would have: boon sOjlarge. under the strict,'conditions, . that : it was; found .iicCessaVv to inake a •modification. Accordiligly: the, practice wis l cOnlnleiiced Of.; passing' a- candidate whoso inaVks jimt missed the minimum.* in one sub-, jeet, provided ho coilld show a certain. suripliis over tile marks neressary for a pass in the other subjects. ' iv ... , . •' Professor iShand. said that if it Was Hot fight to grant any relief at, all. they should ceafee passing these, candidates ill respect of matriculation. • ■' ' ' . ■ .■ After further disciissioii Mr. Tole's■at'nondment Was adopted, iliul thiis reversed,'was approved. | , v ■ AUCKUAND . SCHOOti- OF Mlt^ES. Dr. M 4 Oowell moved i-f- 4 'That iii the llote to,'tlie Statute 'Colleges' (Calendar p. 39). the 'Auckland, University College'he added to the University-of Otiigb .as a ft-oogiiised School of Mining ami Metallurgical Engijic'oring." , . ,-..'■■ Tho matter was referred to' H committee. Tlie Senate adjourned at 4, p.m. Until 10' a.m : , to-day. ■■', '■.' ■ .