THE TEACHING AT THE OTAGO UNIVERSITY.

Evening Star, Issue 8478, 1 April 1891, Page 4

THE TEACHING AT THE OTAGO UNIVERSITY.

At yesterday's meeting of the Otago University Council the following report on the teaching at the University was read and adopted:— To the Council of the University of Otago Gentlemen,—Tour Committee were appointed to report on the state of the teaching in the University. Having given much consideration to the babject, they have pleasure in stating that the University during the score of years it his bean at work, has rendered good service to higher education; and that the community has received good value for the money expended. The Committee haviDg had before them the returns prepared by Mr Milne, and two returns laid before the Senate of the New Zealand University at the session of 1891. All these returns relate to the Canterbury College and the other affiliated institutions as well as to this University. It is almost unavoidable In this present report not to make a comparison between this University and the Canterbury College, it being the institution most similar to our own. We do so, however, not invidiously, but simply as a means of arriving at the true standard of our own teaching. The Committee had an interview with the professors to ponfer with them as to the returns prepared by Mr Milne, and particularly on the subject of the comparatively small number of our students shown by these returns to have taken senior scholarships and honors. We now proceed to consider the general results shown by the above retnrns. Of junior scholars entering in the two institutions, Otago during the period 1878-86 secured only 23, whereas Canterbury had 43. Of the 23 junior soholars entered in the University four prooeeded to the medloal course, leaving only 19 taking the arts course as compared with 40' in Canterbury; that ip, le*s than one-half course. Whatever rmy have been the starting points as regards students entering, when we come to the B.A. and B.So. passe 3 whioh are the real test of the general ability of the University—there is very little difference. Otago, with a larger number of candidates, for the period 1876-1889, 74.6 per cent, passed; and Canterbury, 77-1 per cent, passed; or, considering each separate subject of examination, our students have been examined in 866 subjects, with 82.7 per cent, passes; Canterbury in 754 subjects, with 84.1 per cent. pasßts. Otago has had 75 per cent, or less than that number of paasea in Greek, ohemistry, history, and German.

For the same period—vi?., 1876-18§9—we have not been so sace?ssful as Canterbury in inducing Btudents to try for senior scholarships and honors and M.A., nor in passing those who have For Benlor scholarships the failures have been in Latin, English, mathematics, chemistry, mental sctenoe, history, jurisprudence, and physical science. For honors in arts our only failures have been in political soienoe; but in bath'oases far fewer have entered from Otago than from Canterbury. These remarks apply to the whole period from 1876-1889. Similarly, Mr Milne's tables treat of the same period, and are no doubt useful as a test of the work done since 1876, but are of little value to enable the Oounoil to determine the present position of the University

teaohing and the success or otherwise of Its' students now. This being the point we wish to arrive at, we have prepared ths following tables, which deal only with the last five years, including 1889, and show a comparison between Otago and Canterbury. Success of Otago and Canterbury students for last five yean, including 1889 : For ths B.A. and B.Sc. Pass. Otago sent up 170 students, and 48 failed and 122 passed .. .. = 71.7 per Cf at. Canterbury gent up 168 students, and 47 tailed and 106 passed .. ' For Sbnior Scholarships. Otago sent up 18 students, and 14 (ailed and 4 qualified .. .. ■— 22.2 „ Canterbury sent up 24 stndents, and 11 failed and 13 qualified .. - 64.1 „ For Honors and M.A. Otago sent up 23 students, and none failed and 28 qualified .. ■= 100 „ Canterbury sent up 29 students, and 3 failed and 26 qualified .. - 89.6 „ B.A. and B.Sc.: Comparison taking separate subjects for five years ended 1889. Otaqo. Cantbrbdby. °i U *i f! <l « 4 E Latin .. .. 88 75 91 70.3 Greek .. .. 6 60 3 100 English .. ..86 94.4 70 98.6 French .... 25 84 44 84.1 German 3 66.6 2 100 History, etc .. 36 77.7 59 88 Jurisprudence .. 8 87.5 16 86.8 Furemathematios.. 103 84.4 73 86.3 Applied mathematics .. ..89 79.7 34 82.3 Chemistry .. .. 36 58.3 7 42.8 Physical science .. 36 86.1 31 80.6 Natural soienoe .. 9 777 83 39.4 Mental science .. 58 75.5 nil , nil Total .. .. 628 = 79.1 462 = 79 8 passed passed Otago has a low percentage of passes in Greek, ohemistry, and German. Canterbury has no entries for mental science, and a low percentage of passes in Latin, ohemistry, and natural soienoe. Senior Scholarships. (Comparison taking separate subjects for five years ended 1889.) Otago. Canterbury^ ~J °i -I $1 °£ a« °4 sS g'S 8H S3 S]j 5 £ & 6 "- Latin .. .. 6 83.3 10 50 Greek .. .. 3 C 6.6 3 100 English .. .. 3 nil 8 62.5 Frenon ... ..1 100 nil German .. - 1 100 nil History, etc .. 1 nil 4 76 Jurisprudence, etc 1 nil 4 75 Mathematics .. 4 26 4 100 Ohemistry .. .. 3 nil 3 33.8 Physical soienoe ..4 nil 3 33.3 Natural soieuce .. 2 50 1 nil Mental science ..2 nil nil 31 = 26.8 40 = 62.5 passed. passed. Honors ih Arts. (Comparison taking separate subjects for five years ending 1889.) Otaqo. Canterbury. ot§ gi o| Is* !| s| fc| ja Classics .. ..4 100 21 96.2 English .. .. 4 100 18 100 Modern languages nil .. nil Politioal soienoe .. 1 100 2 100 Mathematics, etc. 3 100 4 100 Chemistry ..6 100 nil Physical science .. 4 100 1 100 Natural soienoe ..1 100 8 nil Mental soience ..4 100 nil 26 = 100 49 = 91.8 passed. passed The above return does not show the classes obtained, as your Committee had no means of ascertaining them. Judged, therefore, by reßulta during the last five years, Otago Is better than Canterbury in the number going up for B.A. and B.Sc, also in the paroentage of pastes for B.A. and B.Sc For honors, though six less candidates went up from Otago, not one of ours failed.

For senior scholarships we are no doubt weak. Thlß, we believe, is partly due to our small number of junior scholars, partly to the medical aad mining schools attracting students from the arts course, and partly to the difference of oircumstances between our students and the students in Canterbury, and the enlarged area from which Canterbury draws its students. It may also be in part due to the custom in Canterbury of giving yearly exhibitions in special subjects. Your Committee, howover, cannot accept these circumstances as a complete explanation of the fact that junior scholars entering the Otago University are so unsuccessful in obtaining senior scholarships as compared with junior scholars in Christohurch. The Committee consider that the Council should in the future be placed in such a position that it should at all times be able to judge as far as possible both of the regularity and efficiency of the teaching given. The Committee therefore beg to make the following recommendations : 1. The Council should appoint the chairman of the Professorial Board to hold office for three years. 2. That a monthly report of the number of lectures and the attendance of students in the arts course should be forwarded to the Counoil through the chairman of the Professorial Board, and of the number of lectures and attendance of the students of the medical school through the dean or the sub-dean of the medical faculty, as the faoulty may direct, and of the mining school through the director. 3. That the New Zealand University should be asked to annually prepare and submit to the various affiliated institutions returns of all students entered for examination, showing failures and successes; also the number of candidates in each subject from all places, distinguishing in eaoh case between those who passed and those who failed. Your Committee append as a schedule a copy of a return appearing in the Calendar of the London University as a suggested model for a return to be furnished to the New Zealand University in re spect to eaoh affiliated institution for every examination oonduoted by the University of New Zealand. 4. That the chairman of the Professorial Board and dean of medioal faoulty should make an annual general report to the Counoil as Boon as possible after the close of the session. D. M. Stuakt, Ohaitman.