UNIVERSITY EDUCATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 4 August 1925, Page 8

UNIVERSITY EDUCATION.

MATHICTLATION EXAMINATION

AGAIN CONDEMNED.

POSITION IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS. (BY TELEGRAJPH: —PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, August 3. Further condemnation of the matriculation examination and the./suggestion for co-ordination in an accrediting system- whereby credit should lie given vjually freely to . heads ol private schools was made at the University Commission to-day by the Rev. Father Gibbert, St. Patrick’s College, who stated that the matriculation examination granted--a• passport to- students of immature mind and unripened judgment. The policy of his school was to deter students from attending the university until at least a year had been spent’in post matriculation work. Cram alt the test s uncultivated. Matriculation was as convenient and serviceable finishing examination to a few years at a secondary school, nothing more, and it found ail ally i n the public service and intermediate examinations. What was needed was co-ordination between the -schools, the Department, and the University. These schools cost the State nothing; they helped to perpetuate hallowed traditions in a young land, yet they have no direct voice nor representation where subjects hearing 4)ii the general education policy of the country are concerned. Co-operation would "make possible the abolition of the examination "system and its replacement by the more equable system of “credits’ ” In regard to free.places in State schools, these should be equally acceptable i u regard to the university, and the word of the headmaster' of a private school should be taken where no expenditure of public money was involved.

DIFFICULTIES OF DENOMINATIONAL SCHOOL, WELLINGTON, Aug.’ 3. The difficulties facing some denominational schools were set out by the Rev. T. A. Gilbert, rector of St. Patrick’s College,' who points out that in some bases parents had to pay twice because of their-' religion. He urged that free places and scholarships should be made tenable at registered private schools. Even in the interests of university education the law of the land has never ruled that second, ary. education should he secular. It allowed the teaching of religion in its own schools, and it should not penalise the teaching of (religion in private schools by withholding scholarships and free places. -In some Australian States this request had been recognised for years, and many of the most brilliant university students had been products of the system. Evidence was placed before mission bv C. W. Kerry, vice-presi-dent of the New Zealand Society of Professional Teachers of Music. The opinions of the association were- that music sbopld be an optional subject for the B.A. degree, as at Cambridge and elsewhere. Provision should be made at every centre for lectures in music. At present Wellington lias the only centre in which such provision was not made. 11

DIVINITY DEGREES

WELLINGTON, Aug. 3

Evidence regarding the desirable course to be pursued in 'conferring divinity degrees was given by the Revs. Dr. Pinfold and F.E. Harry, who supported the conferring of degrees by the university. A higli standard of degree was asked as representing the needs; of the Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist and Congregational Churches. It was desirable that young men who went Home for degrees at present should be retained ill the Dominion to its advantage. The university should allow New Zealanders to obtain full equipment for all legitimate occupations in their own country. Moreover, the public did not understand or appreciate the degree, conferred 1 by church training colleges as it would a university degree. -If the commission decided against the conferring of a degree by the university, it was asked to recommend that the churches of New Zealand he empowered by Act of Parliament to grant.,; through a college of divinity, the B.D. and D.D. degrees. • - --*• > • •