UNIVERSITY SENATE

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 117, 21 May 1925, Page 9

UNIVERSITY SENATE

AGE OF SCHOLARSHIP, ENTRANTS

ENGLISH AND LATIN AS EXAMINATION SUBJECTS

(BI TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) i CHRISTCHUROH, 20th May. !

At the New Zealand University Senattf to-day a motion, that the age for University scholarship entrants should be reduced to 18 years, was defeated by 15 votes to 4. It was moved by Professor Hunter: " That for the junior University scholarship the marks should be 600 for English and 400 for each other subject in the list; that the maximum marks be 2200, and that every candidate must take English, a foreign language,^ a science, and.. mathematics or Latin." In speaking to the motion, ■1-rofessor Hunter said it would placo English on a higher plane. The arrangement would permit of a school's greater liberty of organisation, and would obviate driving the student into courses he was not adapted to. It would provide greater variety in courses than at present.

The Hon. A. J. Hanan said,'in seconding the motion, ho wished to sup. port the increase in English marks. rlie motion of Professor Hunter \yas certainly an improvement. In opposing the proposal, Professor Arnold Wall said the present scale was well thought out, and though it could bo improved in minor particulars, the measure proposed was not desirable. lhe Hon. J. A. Hannan said, in seethe proposal. He believed the proposal, if passed, would, tie up the schools in an undesirable way. Sir Bobert Stout said the pronosal would discourage the study of Latin and mathematics. Was the Senate prepared to do this? '

Mr. J. Caughley pointed out that tho alteration was desirable. Only one studont_ in 15 years had won the Junior University Scholarship without taking two foreign languages. This seemed to make the two foreign Hanguages tho crucial test of worth. The system o f marks at present bolstered dying subjects. History was being neglected because these subjects were monopolisms; the tune m the schools. ■ Mr. W. J. Morrell said ho would not tnfh f ?f y ,I?« mber in h'B devotion to the study of history. Its importance, n addition to the civic interest, came ju later },f e . The serious study of history required reasoning power such as youth did not have. The best groundwork for history was the study of languages. Latin was not dominating the schools. Ihe preponderance of marks Given to Latin, mathematics, and Encash could easily bo defended. To brim' np ower marked subjects to this standard was an ill-conceived idea, and ho was m favour of its rejection. lrofessor J. Rankine Brown moved the adoption of the report of the Wellington Recess Committee on the medical and dental examinations. The committee was instructed to consult the medical faculty M to the possibility of fixing more definite dates for. the medical and dental examinations, and to report on the advisability of appointing an additional officer in connection with the examinations. The medical faculty had no suggestions to make on the general question, but has suggested dates for the Cnai, second, and third professional examinations, -which.' are contrary to statute. With regard to the second point the committee does not consider that the appointment of an additional officer is necessary. It was decided to refer the matter of fixing dates to the dean of the medical and the dean of the dental faculties . It was recommended by the examsTl th V \ he 1851 ExhAitioa ScTenTa facholarship bo awarded to R, S. Allen M be, of the University of Ota^o ' Senate adopted a recommendation that the Engineering Travelling Scholarship be awarded to E. B. Cocks, 8.E., of Can, terbury College.