OUR UNIVERSITY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 627, 2 October 1909, Page 6

OUR UNIVERSITY.

']:,;%vv;-THE^SE5AtE , S;"':piRdpd^KiV--,;---jry- ; - : VICTORIA COLLEGE;;CANNOT-ACCEPT. ' .MMOBANDPiT FROM : THE ; PEOPES\:;u. '-'~ ':' ', In .The Dojiiniok of "Wednesday. laist.■ bur, 'contributor "Socrates," in a reviow of ■ the cri-' .ticismsivhich have rccently.appeared.in special interviews.'and Jin" tho. cqrrespoiidehco. columns P.', The Dominion on'.the..subject of; university reform! 1 gave .publicity, to- certain proposals with..regard .to/tho':'B,A.: ;and 'B.Sc.':.degrees, .whica.iwero,formulated by.'.thb Bec.ess Commit'teo :'of-the.'Senate,- and, by; that:body .referred Ito thaprofess6rial:bonrds of tho four.affiliated colleges i for consideration.. and 'report; , ■'• These proposals have since been .discussed •by.'the'Profes^orial.'Board of ..Victoria .College; and : the xeinolnsibna'arriyed'at'haye now been' handed (a.'.us,for:publication.,- : .;■':'■.-! -.•:'.'•!- ■:'■.,. "■:•■•. ' :. : : ;,v;^IEWS r OF'?THE BOARD.^-' - '•'■' • .The':,memorandum!is .'as'fbijows :—.'•' ■■'•"'' : '■''■- j- -welcoming' any: attempt .to improve: tae/courses:for A uhiveraity-degrees; :th'e;.!Profes-, serial Board'of. Victoria College is: not' pfe-' pared ;tp" ; . accept: the suggested;.scheme as it' stands,' though 1 is .'in- agreement .with ■ the idea :underlying' S thV:prop j Osal3.: : ; TMs;it cbnside'rs to( be i the, greater.icbncentratibn- of -the Vwork, ■ of students, 60.' as to!.securo"that:every .graduate has.'aifairV acquaintance .with'.somb'.brancli: of: knowledge, instead; of. a. smattering! of -.'several, • which,,is.so:fr'equently'-th'e outcome of the-pre-:eent,-6qheme-:f Or ::pass-degrees. ■'.The'-board,'ns agreed/on-the i p'rinciple-thatVtho:.proper.aim ' 6t : a;.univ'ersity)iis'to' prbvido : :..'means-:':whereby' students'can pursue-idefinite coursed "of study of an'.extensiva.vnature, 'such ■;'as; are suited- 'totheir "special."mental and, .to.:-the course that" they' may'intend ;to follow'in , after, life,'as well as.to encourage" and provide :facili-' ties for original-work or research in the various- branches of knowledge....The"board believes' that luntil'this principle-is accepted'as : a guide to.all future, policy, little : in thevWay of real reform:can;be expected." , .•".-•".■.-'; ',...;■■', : ,- ■ ■ .''.-

\.':/ ,v,;/;Wh«re;the 'Scheme 'Fails/:":-.v;:,: { ' :"Theceuggested, scheme ..for. degrees . appears :to .'the > bbard.}fo. fall. short ■ .of. : this: ideal ..for the;following .reasons:—:.i •-.'. ~. •;,, ' •,.-•• :>

■■: "(ij.By. estabiishing;Vah intermediate examination'to vbe'taken:-at -.the > end, of;.the first, year;' of. aca'ddmio.; study ...it '.'is "perpetuating the doing: of- -that elementary, 'work that:.' does, not rea'Uy-'-iaU ; '',^!;hin;;.ith'e : i-sjheTe.'..,oi;nniyersi!7.' college,work. ; ;The;'lntermediate' Examination' is,; in. a: a',; deferred, Matriculation. Exam.-', inationr and it;.■Eb'ems'ito.'.th'e.-board 'that .the. intended preform/would.: bo -:most: satisfnctbrily .achieved--by- , of .the' Matriculation' Examination.' ■'-'/:-'■'■ '"■':! '■■ '* '•' Vl"'' ''■

:■'; ,'(2);By/addingrtb.thehumbe'r^bf : compu!sbry,. subje'ets, , the'.scheme/interfbr?s'reT.on : :'moi-.o' , than' the ■'present.Varrangement ; 'db&j : '.with'the stii-' dehts'...freedom-..bf.-ch6icei:''Tho. : Doard.'does':not ,pbject ; i;to).compulsion;in "itself, , ,, but%'to';that : arbitrary;cbrnpulsidn'-in yirtiie'.bf'which'a'st'iii dent:: must'tttkp-,subjects that; have, rib '■•bearing :oii; hi's.-'main'-'line''of''■study'.". CCbmpulsion'Kis' legitimate ;;in,:.a;;gfoup.;.?cif,;relatb'd,'.subiects:' ,that .is.'.to ■eay,ya:,student .that ; .'is'. spetialising. : m-one Aranct of .knowledge. may j quite; logically. bo - compelled to" take '..'certain- 1 , courses , ' in cognate,, branches.: 'But.itha.-'.bpar.d ■:' considers: -that' suoh', compulsion; as:'is :'cqntomplatcd' in' 'the Intermediate;; Examinaybn"i::nndß'::its'..proper place.ih :th'e;:Matr.iculatio'nvExaminationi': It ;is' :.Quira'. , /tovs.ecuTe;Vthkt-.all''its'simdents'. hav;e'/had-.:a' sumcient-p/eliminary.-training.'in : the. essential'' elements or a-hberal education,'and,-•from'this po;nt.:of, view;-even' more 'compulsion , than exists in'the,'present : Matriculatio'n'.Examiha.' 'bon'.is advisable.'. ■',-.,. ':'";■■: '..,■■/. '.■•'.: •■ ;, ;"{3):The.-scheme /eKIt retains: as coinpulsory ;for, subjects. ,;that' .are 'not: compulsory, for.;: mafriculatipri::. ' The", board. 'is: of ■ opinion'"i -~tnat.: aU..subjects.ithat,-are:,.>compulsory , .for-:de-1 grees.v and. : ; the -university, : teabhing -of; which:, starts .with'.thß.-assumptioriHhat students have attained■: a-..; certain ''standard • of. : proficiency' : ought; also .'to;. be /compulsory in tho. Matriculation for.,thoso degrees.-; .■;.:"': ■'. V V l^ : i .;■; : ! .

method : O f ; .raising'the;Standard,of. c degrees isby:oncpuragjita;highfet^if.Mone: I ,o,4two.related,b'ranches: ■■knowredge.r-the.'rjoardi'.fcars -that,.' -Hl,, tho' .presejitilow-;standard. of -matriculation" is 're; ■tained,. the.-compulsory Nrepetitiori-of: two sub-' {« ct \' m , a y';!ead:;to a.serious c deteriofatibn of tne-hißhor. teaching in the.imiv'ersity'cbllcrjes ' At present ; iniich good ; ; worK. is -'done in l the higher, classes, the ,members, of which have' chosen,the repeated-subject!, because'they like it, and nre, fit 'for it; but, if: repetition .of'two ..ma'Je.fcontpnlspryj.-tho- probablo result ■.will be.,that inaiiystudentswill: be compelled''iro embark on studies aro really quite unfittito 'doj'.so, , ' andV'tliat- tho" instruction' of those ..who '.arc,, fit will : suffer. '■- This' objection woHld'.lose.much of itswfoj-ce' if .thovstanrlard or. the Matriculation ''Examination wero raised,-' J n J ; J hls :|?' I > o , t .. < Jono ! .by. the suggested scheme. ■.;.. lho board , takes: , . Exception to- several minor-features ■ of the 'Scheme; but' as -the removal, of. these ...would, not: alter its 'objection' to, tno "scheme as'':n,' whole,..it'does not colisider.,it necessary =;to':stat!i;.them.': With regard to. one of .the;,most serious ;of! these .minor ■fea'--farcs.vthoiboard.hasj.'cpme'.to this conclusion:' So long,'aso-the.,distinction'between, the 8,A.-an(l-;.th0'..8.5c.-\course .is , , mnintnined, it seems very undearablo , that -no- further discrimination;; between ;tlie' two;,c6urees : .should- .bo .insisted ..pa .tlian';the...takinK of one. experimental': science isubject '.up;,to ■ the -proposed ■ intermc.diateistaudard,:;' MV.-V 1 '-■■■:-\-,■■.':.;:■ . ■ :.:■. V" The'fboard •.Ventures "to.'make. tho ■'■'. folio'w-'-inß' ; sn[:?('stiohs;"'.wliich, , whilst but '-invplvjiig any '■ radical "changes :in . the present', arrangements,' would •"certainly tend to; movo'the 'B.A. and. ; B.;Sc.\ degrees;forward in .accordance with , the._principles'stated aboye:—.'.:.:'. ; ■ :■:"•";' ,iy :,■;:';'•• Matriculation :;:: ..i'".The ..'board'.'is. strongly, of 'diiinion .'thatno real advance will be rpadpiintil the Matriculation .Examination .raised, so as. -to■ represent, the. natural outcome of: a- four years' course: at/a-. secondary: school;:-and: it respect-; fully 'urges: .tho. senate.' to . take , steps 'in'- this' direction.' With.regard to tho present matriculation syllabus,..-.it ...sußgcsts-.— . -".,.. : -.; ~; ' .,: .'■'■ "(1) Thafefi.niatheiiiaticß, /iucliidinfr ,'arithme- ; tic,', algebra '.arid othoj;'elements", of ;• geometry,

bo-tnade ; compulsory "for-- all candidates:'for matriculation who- intend'proceeding to the 8.A.. or'the B:Sc.:: degree.: - .- '..■■', ■.'.-'.. . "(2) That Latin bo compulsory for: all candidates for 8.A.; .but. that'for B.Sc. a' modern languago bo compulsory; that a B;sC candidate who ' fails ; to: take .Latin; .be-not compelled to • take an: extra/subject as at tiresent. .. ■■■.-;, ■ ' . ..; ■'•;. ;■ .;■ .■ ■ ',' ; • : ... .'. V '■':■'■'■':. Deorees. ■ '■ „. .'..'Vv;: . ~'. i "(1) That mathematics. be dropped as'acompnjsorjv subject ,for the B.A. tlegree. . ■ •- (2) ihut- 'puro;. and - applied . mathematics count'as two subjects' for tho B.Sc. degree; arid.-;that every; candidate for the B.Sc. be , required to 'furnish -evidence of such a■ farail--larity■ with both. , French• and German as will enable Mm to', make .use. , of scientific publications in those languages.!.' . ••- '■■ ' ■" ' "(3).Thaffor-.the B.A. degree, , students be' allowed .to repeat; two subjects • in' all cases f ™mii? ,e f ts , , , re ' ;K ' uiral ' for honours.: ._ (4) 1 hat. • it-.should: be.:possible■■ to --repeat two'subjects for.'.the B.Sc,-degree, that precaution.be ; taken ;to.:difieroht'iate'toa greater 'tateric than is-at present done, the' B.A. B.Sc. , courses, ..-This suggestionH^ 1 .? o™*0™* PrejU'lice to the viewofithis'board: tnat.there should ,not be-.distinct pass degrees in arts;and science.:-.■,.--'' ■■.. " : :..■-.■• ■." ■■ -' ,"(s);.That-the: senate-draw-.up-'definite.icburses 'in. cognate subjects N and'.'• that,;' J until' this is

done,.',the .professoriol'..bbards' t be'i' i ::instructed to . 6ce "■ that .students select their , subjects' so as to form .homogeneous or .related.'courses of study":. : y ,:.:'. ;:.■■::..;: v:^;','^;. , •,^.;,-;;;" MR.. JOYNT iJREPLIES .T^eRITICS.' ''''•■■■■ IDEALS,' EXAMINATIONS, /AND. : : 'ii : -;■:,-:: ■;;CRAMS|ING.',";;:\;..','I"- ! -;.- ;.-:■;;; : : Ur'. J:-W: Joyiit, land University,' was interviewedj by .our'.re: ' preventative- yesterday,: and replied ,at some length .'to' recent, criticisms ■ on. tho New Zealand University'.system. , : ;'. ■'."■'. ~ : - ! -.'i*,';.-.'•':■ . ■••; "I ishould like, .in ' tho' first : place,' to" nidke it ( clear, that, in what: I say: 1 i ain -. expressing personal,opinions; not.in.any.sense ia I'sp'e'nk •as;''thei champion,.iof: the- senate,'- but/as'.one ■who.;has-been: for. most-;o£,his life associated with 'university work," -said Mr.: Joynt.:' "In ■discussions "of; this kind, we . must ; iSeparatb criticisms.on,'points bf detail .from, thosov.that: •bear. , on tho fundamental'iconstitution.'of-the university. I;might:hero note, in.passing,.that tho conrributions:mqdo-so far/do .not contain any word, of - recognition of-, the-, work of'the men who 'made, the ■present, constitution of the university, and/Arab:,thereby provided -a .framework under '. '.which£ affiliated .colleges...might thrive and, obtain •re'ebpinitibn "for Uh'eir'.'work. In; , the case. of criticisms• affecting-.the.constitu-tion of the it 'seems hardly-to. have 'been realised that , : that'constitution can only be altered .bj-T logislatiori; .nor is thero any . evidence .that .there ..has i.been .sufficient /appreciation of ,the;:dillicultieS' iwhich .would foDpW any radical alteration of.the constitution..'.i ;'■-.';■■ ■ '' -Universiiy':ldeals.'.■■■ : v . j - "A- scheme • oJF.. uniyersity. ; - ideals has 'been drawn up'.,.: With: that I have• little 'fault'.to find—it could' ,'have been" Jargdj' added 'to—: but' thb point. i,s' this:, ideals,., whether for a .university, . any. other organisation,' are easy' .to.'-frame;' but their fulfilment dopends much more largely!bi;. constitutions and existing- or-: rangemonts, than; is: generally supposed. '.'No person farniliar : with university'.' constitutions could, maintain .that , the; present constitution of the New.: Zealand University is an.'idealbuo; It 'is' 'like.; .many.{other.;Ncw■ Zealand institutions,' like', tho 'country/itself, in fact,: 1 in. a transitional'statoV iA federal system 'of :urii.versity,, srich".as.."bur's can only 'be':of a; temporary: nature. We havo'.as examples (Jle iWiycrsities' bf:-Xiv.crpo'ol;'/llan'-

Chester, ami Leeds, which, until a few years' ago, were federated as one common university. But that system could not last, because communities, so ; l:.rge-and vigorous, and influenced ■ b ?,.?« <;u widely- different ideals,-had an irresistiblo claim to independence. The solution i| not;so easy- in,.the case- of Now Zealand, llere we have four colleges'steadily developing individual-tone, colour,'and ideals-all that is summed;up.in the word 'individuality' in fact, and. yet •.they, are forced by the ; constitution of tue'university into a'common groove. On the- other hand, this individual development is. just ■ what would render it extremely difficult for them to organiso'and carry out any common/system of final tests for degrees. To m y .mind, the only • logical 1 issuo. is that these institutions' should' become four independent universities, each legislating for, and examining for; its own degrees. But, if it bo maintained that New • Zealand cannot have four such universities for. many years yet, there ".must be some - common ■ system- of organisation, binding them 'together,' with .a curriculum repressive of the individuality of each. This.is far from ..being--an-ideal condition of things, but the .direction -in which escape is to be sought presents a problem of grave and serious difncutty._ Of course, the present system is briek nally.dne,. and is still due, to geographical aiepessrMs{_ a, centralised teaching university, :absolntaly,independent, and following its own

■message V«rfa& entitled, 'fMal V t ? t !MW eh, Austialia forging a shield, with a kaDgarbo, blowing tStomce,

soheme of university development is impossible in this country. ■-,■■■•> •■■■-...■.-. .-,. ■','.".': ; Where the Trouble Begins, .'"With somo of the, criticisms passed, I am in , hearty, agreement," continued: Mr. 'Joynt, but , others are: open to debate., For example, trouble .beginswith the Matriculation Examination; After, .several ; years', v experience - of matriculation entries.and results, I am convinced Jhat .much. unwholesome; cramming for this.texaminatiqn prevails.'.'. Thei examination is at' present- in' a' most unsatisfactory' coridi-' tion. .It is. made, to .serve a great variety of purposes,, to .the'/'extent "that' the "main' purfiose: of matriculation is in, danger of being ost eight.of. ; -I'-woiild suggest'that not only .shguld'.'.the. standard..'of'.ttiis'.examination be raised, but in the. case, of'candidates proceeding to, degrees, it should .be .required that the principals of the schools fr'o'ni which they matriculated should certify.that at leastjthrce or. ,four years'have been.spent in. the-study ■of secondary subjects. . This .would ■ be. an analagqus request;.to'-, ..that of the termsexamination requirements-of a- university, college, . In the. case of candidates . for the' preliminary, examinations .for ~tho medical' , and engineering schools, six;-subjects should bo insisted , .upon,'>. in order to satisfy- the-pfo-grainme9iiof the .respective controlling' bodies— the British General Medical- Council-and the" ■■InstHjUte. 'pT' Civil Engineers. -Tf,' 'these caridi- ■ a i^"'?OT d regard-;it. as a , hardship ■fo; be : saddled ";with additional subjecls, ' we '!inißht : pointr.'out. to- them" that in many universities «ntry.j into: the, .professional schools, is' : postponed until 'a'.little-, go,' or even a degree ■examination has, been passed. At present, the ■unfortunate' fact is -that the general educa..tion^.of 'a medical ..practitioner in New Zealand '.■need-not havo,gone beyond.the medical nr«--liminary.,.' .■■■.-. . , ■ .-■•'. : . .- ■ . . "■; External Examinerj. . ''Coming to questions- affecting university work itself," said Mr. Joynt, "I am not at all enthusiastic about the system of ihaving examiners in -England. There- is, however, a good donl to bo said either *ay on this subject. ;&. common complaint is that such examiners are entirely ; out of touch with the teaching of candidates in New Zealand. With regard to that, .-I would-point out that these examiners ''.are'.' all;-, professors" in", universities, m .touch with work on similar lines, and are thus practically as near to the carididates as a- ivew Zealand examiner would .bo to , the work- of colleges' other than his own.. All who have vth'oiight onfte subject are'conscious-of serious-.difficulties involved itfihavingdeeree exammets in New Zealand.' I do not shy "that these difficulties are insuperable; but I' ccr-' ta'inly. think 'that in-drasti.o comments'on' the :present.-system; , the: difficulties of a. substituted, system should-be'fully recognised. ;. .;. ; "Examination-ridden." . "Oh'.the: general question: of, examinations I , have always felt that,. New Zealand has been somewhat: exhmination-ridden. In the case of the detrree final, however,- some of the critics seem to.imply- that it. is the sole, or at least the_raain factor, in settling the fates -of the candidates. ;. It is really not even the main iactor—lt.is an- indispensable factor, associated, with, other equally indispensable factors. What are the demands of: the New Zealand University in; this connection? ' Leaving out of consideration the case of exempted students, the university requires that candidates'for its degrees shall have had three years of solid university, teaching. -. There are also college examinations to, be passed, although.in the case ,of students who-have'attended a full bourse of lectures,.these might he-dispensed withi- ■ '.«•'V^ : .'.':. The.>B.A'.' Degree: ■'■[';■_- '')■■■;'■:. -. '!The-B-.A. deßree can bo .'five subjects, .one. of -Uiese'.to a higher I'standardthan the others.'. Is,-this too many? . A"degree does.flot imply, that the candidate's'education -is; completed,,but rather 'that'ho.'has -acquired a .-fair range:'.-of-■general culture "in some' .leading. subjects. • . I can, hardly • assent .tp.theTiew that the mere fact of being, bound by,/.certain .conditions for the attainment of n degree is-jlestruotive..of, higher work in university teacHing.-As to. the question of compulsory'subjects, or absolute freedom' of choice that, is quite a matter of opinion, and open todobate. ~ I-cannot , see Hint any. terrible consequences will-.follow frnm nny B.A. degree candidates being . to'know sometlii of. Latin and mathomntics. This is generally .regarded aS "a '■ scientific ■ age, but ■ the leading -scientist.of the day emphasise, the importance of,■ mathematics as the foundation of scientific work; -Wo have also had pointed out the ovils arising: from frequent.changes of examiners. Uur .are appointed for five years bm-ely thcro are possible evils - nttending a ,3C . 11 . c . m ,?. of .permanent, examiners. The danger oi tailing into grooves would be rather in."'ns'ned, than .diminished by: having- a per'man-' : Appointments.of Profossors... : ■ ' ■: "It-has'been said that our method of appeinting; professors is all wrong.; that we should select; men,; and then give them work to do. ■uut_ jn; these specialising days' every. professor '. m H# t b p,.nPP<nntcd..on. the strength of some speciality.vs.ojhat after all the line of'demarcation between the two systems is not verv' distinct. , :: ■..-.-•:.■' •■ . - . J i ■ :" : . '"The. question of cramming, is a lnrgo one," proceeded Mi. Joynt "I ehould like to point

out that there' are 'individual'features in the syllabus of the New Zealand "University do-' liberatcly designed to' prevent cramming. For example, there, are no set books/except periods, and portions of'authors for.languages. Beyond these, no books are prescribed for any university, .examination, arid oven theso selections from .authors represent only a fraction of fho requiremeuts for a prescribed: subject. I must takp tho liberty of denying that lofty aims, if. tenaciously hold by teachers, can .be strangled under any system, however defective. Ilio infusion-of, hie and, high, aims into teaching depends on the personality of tho teacher, and can bo mado to harmonise with oven so' thankless, a itesk as tho preparation of students -for'examinations.'..-In.this I am not speaking at random, but, expressing tho convictions of many years • reflection and; some experience in' the matter, I should bo' sorry to think that pvery 'graduate of .the, Now Zealand Univers-' lfy was without enthusiasm; like the Doctor' of. Science alluded to.. He. probably : never hadmuch. I am convinced that the infusion 1 of enthusiasm is- merely the work of the teacher. \Vhat kills tho 'spirit of New Zealand students' is not tho fact of their having a final examina-' tioii to pass,'but their having tod much' outside'work to do, and coming to their studies with 3aded minds. Moreover, many of them attempt far more than could bo effectively accomplisned under such' conditions." ~ ■ • -