COMING OF AGE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 90, 26 October 1928, Page 16

COMING OF AGE

WOMEN STUDENTS' HOSTEL 'A SUCCESSFUL VENTURE Just 21 years ago a bevy of women, headed by Mrs. Wallis, wife of tho late Bishop Wallis, of Wellington, realised what women students iv Wellington were missing by having no corporate college life. Anxious deliberations took place as to tho possibility of financing a venture like the residential colleges of the older universities. ,lne necessity had impressed itself upon several sections of the community, and, tonally a band of workers, representing the Church of England and Presbyterian Church, took tho matter in hand* An executive council consisting of five members of each church was appointed by the governing bodies of tho two churches, and the first of the women students' hostels was brought into being at Tho Terrace, known in those days as Woolcombe street. Friends in need, led by that large-heart-oa citizen, tho late Mr. J. G. W. -AitIcen, camq to", the aid of the council with guarantees of money, and engergetic practical workers held sales of work and sewing bees to help with furnishing. Among the council records appears the resolution that the "Council shall meet weekly to receive reports from the sub-committees." The proceedings of the sub-committee meetings are unrecorded. They took place in the corridors of dark offices, with subdued discussion as to the financial possibilities of a possible guarantor, in dull, dreary buildings which some optimist thought might convert into a hostel, or in palatial dwellings which some still greater optimist thought might bo financed. They took place on clay banks, or in showers of rain, among bolts of sheeting to the whirl of borrowed sewing machines, in warehouses, and in wood yards, in the Registrar's office, and in the quiet glow of the midnight oil when the constitution and suggested plans for the architect were evolved and the merits of possible principals discussed. All the members of that first council had some special practical work on'hand, and all gave of their time and- labour cheerfully and hopefully. ■• ». TIRST HOSTEL OPENED. Interested ■ friends gave cretonne, quilts, vases, and when all the big building finance had been carefully planned the City Council brought dismay to their midst by suddenly decreeing that on account of the danger of fire, the hostel must have plaster walls, entail- . ing a further expenditure of £100. Resources were exhausted, but, finally, debentures were arranged, and the hostel was economically built, and efficiently, if not beautifully equipped. The year 1908 began with a full house and many interested spectators and critics. Victoria College men students not only collected for the furnishing of tho. com-mon-room, but organised Saturday afternoon working parties for levelling the garden and making beds and paths, and always in those anxious early days a member of the council went weekly to receive fees and bank receipts. Tho came new types of difficulty to contend with. Parental complaints, dishonoured cheques, failure to pay fees, the flooding of a neighbour's property by a hithejito undiscovered spring in the back garden, and so on. Prom the first it was decided that as far as possible the discipline of the students should be left to the students themselves. A circular to intending students stated: — The council looks to tho students to make the hostel a self-governing institution. A House Committee is annually elected by the students, and they are regarded as responsible for the conduct of internal affairs as far as they affect the students themselves. . No rules were formulated except such as the students themselves suggested, and they were put on their honour regarding such matters as putting out lights, coming in at night in good time, and in other things. Those wishing to come in late had to apply for a key, and there were no more restrictions than in an ordinary well-conducted household. The principal had full power to deal with any delinquencj', and to impose .rules if necessary, notifying the council of such rules. The freedom given was unusual in those days, and was regarded at first with a good deal of dubiety, but results more than justified the trust pla,ced in the students, and they cheerfully united with tho council in helping, in the necessary economy and care in administration. The second report and balance-sheet showed a steady reduction in the overdraft, and the council experienced a feeling of relief at this definite proof .that the scheme could be made self-sup-porting. A REMARKABLE TRIBUTE. The,record of students' work wa3 especially gratifying, and'an "Honours Record Board" was donated and installed, and now in 1928 arc found there_the names of many who have distinguished themselves in University or civic life. They have overflowed the board twice already, and now a "Coming of Age Board" will have to bo installed in addition to the others. In the period from 1908 to 1925 students at the hostel won 4 senior scholarships,' i Jacob Joseph scholarships, 1 research scholarship, 1 Sir George Grey scholarship, 2 diplomas in education, and 17 honours degrees. Parents have not been behindhand in expressing their gratitude for the care and attention given to their (laughters. The principal 'of ' the Training College at Kelburn wrote a.s follows:— I would like to express our great appreciation of the very, valuable work the hostels ,are doing. The effect of the corporate life of these institutions is incalculable, and the least observant could not but notice the marked improvement of tho students attending these institutions, and we as a staff feel that the hostel girls establish habits of ( study that are scarcely possible for those living in private houses. . Though we havr never attempted to do so, I feel confident that if we were to investigate the matter we would find that the students attending hostels will on the average grade 'considerably higher than those living in private homes. .. The appreciation from all quarters, parents, professors, and students themselves, was most encouraging, and when the over-exuberant spirits of the latter required it a second and neighbouring, property was purchased providing a small garden and some very welcome, extra accommodation. In spite of this the number of applicants for rooms each. year far oxceeded the vacancies, .and the stay in hostel had to-be limited to two years so that the "freshers, "probably iv a town for the first time in their lives, should have the advantages of the hostel care and influence. . The war and epidemic years proved critical financially, and, though tho depression'was barely met, some sligh! excess of income over expenditure was maintained. It was. not till 1922 that the original guarantors were released and tho property itself accepted as security for the bank overdraft. A THIRD HOSTEL SECURED. After the war the demand for ac eoDimodation still far exceeded thai available, and the council records foi 1923 and 1924 are full of deliberation;

as to the boat way of meeting the needs of the students. In the beginning of 1925 a largo house in Kclburn was acquired. Unfortunately in that year the Education Department's policy with regard to teachers was changed, and for the first time- there were vacant beds. However, their carefully planned financial policy enabled the council to win through a lean year, and since then the three1 properties have been taxed to their utmost,; sheltering in all 61 students. To record the names of all those wltu have ungrudgingly given of their time, experience, knowledge, and means would be impossible. Debts of gratitude aro due most of all to the founders and guarantors, for they faced material risks and losses. The staffs, too, have given ungrudgingly of their services, and none have spared effort to make the lives of those in their charge healthful, invigorating, and developmental. No council, it is claimed, could have worked better together, ana the scheme, in its quiet, unassuming growth and development, has more than fulfilled the ideals and hopes ot. its founders. Progress, however, must not stop, for cessation of growth is the prelude to decay. The cherished hope of the council is that some largehearted citizen will recognise that beauty, too, is a factor in bringing out the best that in us lies, and that some day there.may be. substituted for the present purely work-a-day housing a building which will be worthy to be ranked with its prototypes in the older countries, and which will be looked upon as a proud possession of the capital city of the Dominion.