STUDENTS' FORUM

Evening Star, Issue 26156, 18 July 1947, Page 8

STUDENTS' FORUM

APPEAL FOR £IO,OOO TO EXTEND UNIVERSITY HOSTELS

An appeal for £IO,OOO to -(provide residential halls for students at the University of Otago has been launched by the Stuart Residence Hall Council, an incorporated interdenominational Body that administers Arana and Carrington Halls and Stuart Flats. Since the foundation of the council in 1941, when accommodation was provided for 22 students, the organisation has grown until to-'day it is responsible for 220 scholars of the University and the Training College. .‘.‘ In cold cash the University and its .Students spend in the region of £350,000 annually in Dunedin,' apart from capital states a report made by the council. _ “ The provision of suitable residential colleges may, at any time in the future, be one deciding factor in retaining the special national schools and in university development,” ‘‘The Stuart (Residence Halls Council, does not believe, nor should the city believe, that it has fulfilled its obligations by providing fed and. board for students. After makeshift conditions and'temporary equipment have been replaced (and there is still much to be done here), there remains the dominant aim—the creation of residential halls which will be primary influences ■ in the religous, social, and cultural experiences in the lives of the hundreds of embryo leading citizens who will pass through them. Students themselves nay : for the basic needs of bed and ooard, but the special living conditions,, amenities, and leadership required to carry out the above special aims can only be provided by the goodwill and financial support of the comihunity,” the report adds. In 1941 a small group of interested citizens was formed and began operations with small private', loans and guarantees, with, help in buildings from the Otago Education Board, and small . donations. During 1943 the University of Otago provided the residence of the late Sir James Allen, which, with later extensions, has; become Arana Hall.’ The Stuart House Council was appointed to administer it. Two years later saw the opening of the first building at Carrington Hall. A year later, in 1946, the University- of Otago and the City Council provided buildings which ye re adapted for use as flats for married students. In 1947 the original premises in Cumberland street were adapted to provide flats for married students, under the title of . “Stuart Flats.” -“ It- is scarcely necessary to describe the difficulties met; and the improvisations which had to be made during these six years. Yet, until now, we have carried on, aided only by the inadequate, resources of the Stuart Residence Halls Council. In six years no more than £SOO has been .received by donation and legacy,”'the report, concludes. Research Appointment. The resignation of Mr G. W. Parkyn, senior lecturer in education at the University of Otago, was accepted at the last meeting of the council. Mr Parkyn has been appointed to the position of research officer on the staff of the New Zealand Council for Educational Research. • Before taking up the : 'position, "Mr Parkyn will spend, a -.year in Great Britain on research work on a Carnbgie Fellowship. He will be attached to- the Institute, of (Education of the

University of London, but he intends to visit not only other universities in England, but also some on the Continent? His research in Britain and Europe involves the studying of present trends iii thought on the progress and structure of arts courses in the universities in the light of twentieth century changes in the structure of society. , During the last- .five years Mr Parkyn has been engaged on research work into children of high intelligence, and the • results of • liis investigations will appear probably at . the end of this year in a book published by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research.- . Mr Parkynls new .appointment will involve helping and? co-ordinating the activities of people doing research under the council’s auspices throughout New Zealand and research on his own account. . He will be stationed in Wellington; The shelf books published by the council on New Zealand education is now impressive, and such recent works as Thompson’s ‘ Adult Education in New Zealand,’ and Dorothy Neal, White’s ‘ About Books For. Children ’ have influenced educational thought.

United Nations Branch. The interim committee of the University branch of the United Nations’ Association held its first film evening in the University lecture room, when three films were shown. These were obtained from the National Film Library in Wellington. ‘ America To-day ’ was a documentary depicting the United States as seen through British eyes, 1 and pointing the moral of the American example of welding different races into one nation. ‘ This is China ’ surveyed Chinese history from prerevolutionary days up to modern times, and briefly outlined the problems facing post-war China. The third film to be shown was ‘ Partners.' which dealt with the growth of mutual understanding and co-operation between white and black in East Africa. The commentary was given by Julian Huxley. This programme is the first in a series of film evenings sponsored by the Otago University branch of U.N.A.