SIR ROBERT STOUT'S VIEWS

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 42, 18 February 1921, Page 4

SIR ROBERT STOUT'S VIEWS

In his letter to the Minister of Education, Sir 1 Robert- Staijt bxpitesses his own individual views. After quoting a statement that, "there are incompetent professors just as there "are inefficient plumbers," ho.goes on to.say : "Is the community,. then, to accept. the state-, ment of. perhaps one. of these inefficient msn that Ms teaching has been. a. jhigcSss? Is no layman ever to put forth Ills hand to steady the art;pf education? We are 'now confronted with two questions : (1) Ought wo to have external and independent examiners? (2) What provision has been mad« for examinations in the leading universities in the United. Kingdom ?" Answering the second question first, and quoting eividence in support, he states that "the newer universities in England have provided for external and independent examiners. I may also point out that it is not the tea-chers of the English universities who appoint either the external or the internal examiners. The procedure in New Zealand, is. this : I» the first instance the Board of Studies, a body composed, entirely of teachers, select the examiners. It is true that the Senate is not bound by this selection, but Q7i the Senate are ten professors, and 'class consciousness-' <is not ijnknowra oven among teachers: ... I find, that in the University of- Ireland there are no less than 58 external examiners, and about 21 assistant examiners. The majority of the external examiners are from England and Scotland. In.no English, or Scotch, or Irish university is the examination of a student by his teacher accepted as- sufficient for a degree. I have been informed by graduates of Oxford, Cambridge," and Londtom that, they were passed by none of their own teachers,. .In some instances one or mor« of their own teachers were on th? Examination Board, but they have stated to me that it was not considered proper -for any such examiner to mark the papers of any student from.'his own college. This is the general rule. It ma.y have occurred that in n. special examination for a special degree th» student's teaiher may have been one of the examiners, but- that was a rare uvgnt." . . , "CAN ONLY BE ONE 'ANSWER." In 'regard to his first question, Sir Robert states :—"ln. ray opinion, thero can orily^bo one answer to this question. If we are not to have external and independent examiners, our degrees will bo. considered of litUo, value, and the control of the university will pass put of the hands of the Senate, and vest in the hands of the professors. What is meant ,it may.be asked, by an external examin. or? Does it moan an examinei' not living in New (Zealand? It does not. All that is required, to quote the provision of the charter .of the University pf Wales, is that the examiner shiiil not ba a member of the teaching, staff, lip may lie a resident in Now Zealand or in Australia, or beyond' the seas. Some people imagine that th& term 'external lixaminer' moans an -examine! 1 residing in England, but that is hot the case. "I am bountl to state, however, that I believe that the university has receivad great benefit from its examiners iai tha past having bqen selected from leading scholars and educationists in England. ■ Their reports have been of great value. „_A perusal of their yearly reports shows the strength or weakness of our university teaching. It is also wise to keep in touch with English universities and with English scholars for Imperial roasopsj The political oentrir fugal forces wo see surrounding ns-'can-not be ignored. To maintain the unity of the Empire j>till necessifnt-es a> struggled" "SO-CALLED REFORMERS." Sir Robert concludes: "For rnaai.y years past the time of th.c Senat« lias besn taken up 4" discussing this question of external examination, to the neglect of other work, and at considerable exptyifie. It ia, in my opinion, the duty of the Government to say whether the system of external and independent examination is to-be continued, or the control of the examinations left to the teachers. Tf the Government holds thei samo opinion as (.lie- Government of England, then it will no doubt cr.use to bo inserted in. an. amended charter or Act

of Parliament a clause similar to the clauses in the oha,rters of the newer English universities to which I have referred. If it holds "the opinion that the teachers should be tho examiners, tlien this should be plainly stated, and the; whole control of higher education will then pass to the professors; and wo,- who have for years stood by the univevsity, and attempted ;to help it, must. see its sole control given over to the so-called 'reformers,' and v pea-force v,-e must retire". It is not for 'us if> take pai't m its obsequies. In departing no doubt, we will in the ear of fancy hear the 'reformers' chant—

"Mirmidons, race feconde

Miraidons, Knfln nous comrrumdons; Jupiter livre le monds Aux mmnidons, aux mirmidons."

—I have the honour to bo sir, your obedient servant, ROBERT STOUT."