UNIVERSITY REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 734, 5 February 1910, Page 13

UNIVERSITY REFORM.

; ;'BB7erai' ;6f-thebetters on-the' 1 above• : ':subieot I .'whicli ;have /appearedin>your -.columns,'<and\the, 'similar.'; position'.* of//the; '/..University > of ?Wales.,ihn'ny years'/ago.suggests, an ;interesting}. comparisonV.UntttM:hey: accepted -the ~advice : "of.'the ! late'-Professor Edward : "Caird,;: master: of'.Balliol,;,College, ford,;, the.' three ,nniversifr'.'coUegesf'of .Tvales/.used :to"prepare.'the-students/for the degree esaminahonsof.v.the.'irniversity. 6f>l»nd6n.;VJliVtWß-' ! -iriann'BrV&«'.-.profes-.' ; sor9'were .mere/grinders/'of.-avCurriculum. 'of.other prof essors,; and; bad.ncr;6ay .whatever: in the wdfare .of.-their students.-Dr.' ..Caird,. pleaded'tha't'they.. should :give)'up preparing; 'for;;.the.j 'trust, ..their; own/degrees, ian'dV.trust ; their. : .own. iprofessorsiV'This.theyihaVe'now done-for. about- twelve.Vyeaia,:.,andi-each;year the. .'university.has gained.incumber and,effi-. voiency;. .-;-Ihe, professors'/themselves /.have : the/final 'decision.bf/theicandidate's 'qualifications .."in their ..own; hands..; t Since-the ichange,-'many of-,the students ; have done splendid,'original work '. in science,': literal: tore, and'-philosophy, and -".are ~ to-day* occupying /eminent positions all over .'■ the world.;./ The Vcurriculum':; is' 'also I in. the hands ;of- theVprof essors,', and a .great/in/crease: of linterest, :an'd'-'oven-.;enthu6iasm,' ;on.-: the. part < of. '■ teacher;. and pupil/have grown/in'the,work;-':I- doubt very";much .whether, they .would ever work under.the ; conditions -under which; professors in "the :Newo Zealand: University," have': to work; '• ■v — , conce i TaDl ?:' that .-, men •'. of '/- business -who ■■" have..; had;. no., university-: * training should ; be .competent :to deal ' with the /Subjects of examinations?-'; The .'state of i-S 1^ 89 .■;?■!.Q?n nSn y>' is ' : the":'same, as. 'in ..Walts.; .The? choice 'of;, subjects and 'the examinations:'are'Jn;the/hands- of the-professors entirely,' and it is- they alone, who deal \rith ! the; subjects of instruction.-. Reform -can':-;come only, ■ it seems to me, on similar lines in the New Zealand.'university;.-by;.pla'cing':the..syli laous and- the; examinations in the 1 hands of; the professors,. and Me 'financial -.mat,.ters/etc.,,in .the.'hands" of inen .who are capable; of dealing with; them, but who .cannot -be^capable/of .-"dealing, with .subjects in .which .many, of, .them never had any i; instruction.-H[ am;/etc.;v /•■/;■'■'■" -^