HIGHER EDUCATION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 6, 2 October 1917, Page 8

HIGHER EDUCATION

DEMANDS FOR CHANGE

Higher education and some suggested reforms in it were discussed in the House of Representatives last night. Mr. Isitt spoko of mispronunciation of certain words, an<l asked the Minister whether something could not be done to prevent tho corruption of the languago by "a miserable New Zealand dialect." Mr. Hindmarsh was severe on his fel-low-members. "Talk about grammar ami enunciation!" he said. "They ought to go to school, some of them. I have never heard such bad grammar anywhere as I have 'heard in this House. Some of them don't know when to say 'me' and when to say 'I.' They seem to forget that a preposition governs tho objective oase. They talk about between yon and I and the gate post" Replying to an interruption, he said that there was a member sitting not far from him who always said "reckernize." He spoke also of the matriculation examination as being an absurd requirement of a man wishing to go in for a special degree. Mr. Malcolm snpnorte.l Mr. Hindmarsh in this rirotpst against a neneral entrance examination for men going in for special courses. Dr. Newman said that thn University svstem was all wrong. The duty of nrescribiiur courses of studv shouVl he tnVen out of the bn-nrls o f the profes"'"" - * and the Senate, and the courses brni":''t no tn dntn. He was nartimilarly strong in his condemnation nf Latin. The Minister said that something had •>lr~».lv (le"ft .I'Knnf cnrrectinir faulty speech. Nor- was it true thai T.i.ti'i was still an essential- nf all courses. Tt was .not. compulsory for matriculation nor the B.A. <'"!rroe. But the fact wag Hint p-<re"-f" -"-isl'ed f'eir bovs and "iris tn be taueht Latin. Regarding the Senate and the making nf courses of shid.v, lie lind very little authority over tliem. but the Government had lately appointed liim to tho Senate. '