TEA-TABLE TALK.

Evening Star, Issue 19002, 25 July 1925, Page 20

TEA-TABLE TALK.

OUR UNIVERSITY. | Not :i viicant scat for latecomers on TbnrMny afternoon at His Majesty’s Theatre, when graduates were ” capped,” which showed the wisdom of the “powers that bo” in choosing such a huge hall. The platform was quite gay, with tho mayor wearing his insignia and the reverend professors in .scarlets, blues, greens, and yellows. The, students provided an excellent orchestra, and altogether m was voted easily the most successful function of the sort ever hold. For the last month the Commissioners have been holding tin inquiry into the New Zealand Uui- | versify, and tlie audience was particularly glad to have a chance of nearing Sir 11. R. Reichel speak a few-words. | Ho pointed out that the “findings” i must necessarily go to the Government, but that there was one point that had struck them—namely, the very largo part that examinations play in school and university life. As ho said, examinations are perhaps necessary, and are certainly convenient, but though they make good servants, they are bad masters. This constant struggle for results was like pulling up a plant every now and then by its roots to see how it was getting on. And when you come to think of it, a child’s growing years are spent chiefly in passing teats. Each term lias its agony; then comes that bugbear “proficiency.” and follows a hectic period preparing for matriculation. And to what end? A largo portion of our youthful population has nothing to gain by passing these examinations j ,'tfid tho nervous strain is out of all proportion to the result achieved. In tiiis respect, at any rate, we can look back with regret to tho “good old days ” (which are still present in the older countries) when knowledge was a prize in itself, and cramming and competition were conspicuous by their absence. Our youths and maidens do not have enough leisure to follow their natural tastes or to give to general culture. Always there looms in front a syllabus, whose contents are ticked off as soon as stuffed into the brain. And, of course, a reaction sots in later on, so that on the whole we find few graduates who take up some sort of intellectual pursuit merely for the love of it, without any monetary gain being attached. Examinations and £ s.d. may bo good friends witli each other, butthey are not very helpful to education in its highest aspect.

ODDS AND ENDS

Good bath salts are expensive to buy, but they can be made at homo at quite a small cost. Break a pound of common soda into small pieces, spread them out on an old tray, and dry them in tho oven for three hours. Put the soda into a wide-mouthed jar with £oz of your favorite perfume, aud leave it uncovered for a short time. Then cork, and it is ready for use. To clean a thermos flask put in a small quantity of salt and vinegar. Shake well and rinse thoroughly. If this does not remove all discoloration, the addition of a little small shot or silver sand can be used; but sand should not be used unless necessary, as in time it will scratch the glass. When packing your travelling case for a .night on the train or boat, put in a tube of good shaving soap instead of the usual cake of soap. Besides not having a wet cake of soap to repack, you will find that the shaving soap lathers and cleanses so much better if the water is hard.

, White felt hats look very smart when they are white. But, alas 1 in our climate they don’t stay white very long. However, if you tackle your white hat directly it shows the least sign of grubbiness in the following manner it will last clean all the season;—Get some magnesia, mix it to a paste with cold water, and apply to the hat with a clean, sort brush. Leave the paste on for a few hours, then brush off vigorously, and your hat will come up Tike new.

Keep a jam pot next to the sink and collect all odd scraps of soap, both toilet and kitchen. When tlm not is about a quarter full, fill up water to dissolve the soap. Leave until this

fis set into a stiff jelly. This soap jelly is excellent for washing woollens and silk generally, silver and glass ware. A pot of it should always bo kept near the sink.