CANTERBURY COLLEGE

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10662, 24 May 1895, Page 3

CANTERBURY COLLEGE

DEGREE DAY. The annual ceremony in connection with Degree Day at Canterbury College tpok place in tho College Hall yesterday afternoon. The large hall was crowded, and the students were present in force. Shortly before half-past two the male students marched in singing the chorus, “Long Live Canterbury College.” After taking their seats they sang another song, and saluted the party of gentlemen who occupied seats on the platform by einging a ditty pet to the air " Whoa Johnny Comes Marching Home.” Mr H. R. Webb, chairman of, the Board of Governors of Canterbury College, presided, and among those who occupied seats oa the platform were the Eight Rev Dr Julius, Bishop of Christchurch, his Honor Mr Justice Donniston, Sir Robert Stout, the Hons C. C.. Bowen, and W. C. Walker, the Rev Gordon Webster, Professors Hutton, Dendy, Bickerton, Haslam, Michell Clarke and Cook, Colonel Gordon, Major Slater, Messrs C. P. Bourne (headmaster Christ’s College), W. Boag, G. Humphreys, W. Chrystall, T. S. Weston, J. V. Colborne-Vael, P. D. S, Neaye, Ji Anderson, jan., and A.C. Wilson, registrar. The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said it would bo remembered that last year the Senate of the New Zealand University decided that Degree Day celebrations should be discontinued. This decision was not favourably received by the students of Canterbury College, and they, very properly he thought, resolved not to allow a function of this sort to pass without having some public celebration. The Board of Governors was approached, and the students were allowed to hold their annual festival. The gathering that afternoon clearly showed that Degree Day was looked forward to with a great amount of interest, and he would be sorry to see the celebration discontinued. "He wished to congratulate the College on the number of students who had gained their degrees. On no previous occasion had so many students obtained their , degrees as would come up that day. This, he thought, spoke well for Canterbury College, and the staff of professors it had. There was one subject of regret he wished to refer to. This was tho resignation of Professor Macmillan Brown. He regretted very much that Professor Brown had been compelled to resign his appointment, and he believed tho students would also regret losing the services of so eminent a professor. Ha was pleased to say that arrangements had been made for building a biological laboratory, and that some machinery had arrived from England for the School of Engineering, (Applause.) The Hon C. C. Bowen referred to tho decision of the Senate of the New Zealand University, that the usual ceremonies attendant upon the conferring of degrees should be discontinued. Tho reason tho Senate had discontinued these celebrations was because in two or three places disturbances had occurred and caused some unpleasantness. He spoko of the rise of Canterbury College, and congratulated it on its present high position. Tho Registrar then read the following list of honours gained by the, students during the past year :—" Twelve students from the college have this year obtained the degree of M.A.; J. A, Brskine gained at the same time first-class honours in mathematics and first-class honours in physics; W. H. Dawson first-claas honours in chemistry; J. Eight ficst-elaas honours in languages and literature (English and French); C. A. Craig secondclass honours in mathematics; A. T. Ngata and A. Dunn second-class honours in political science ; Misses J. W. Inglis, K. Isherwood and B. P. Richmond secondclass honours in languages and literature (English and French) ; A. J. Buchanan second-class honours in languages and literature (English and Latin) ; Mias E. M. Baber third-class honours in languages and literature (English and French), and E. R. Broome third-class in languages and literafcb'ie (English and Latin), 'i'wanty-one students of the college, have passed tho final section of their B. examination Misses C, A. Barnicoat, L. E. Bing, A. M. Fordham, E. V. von Haast, G. H. Johnaton, M. M. Ksbbell, C. I. Locking, J. Mulholland, M. E. Oswin, A. E. J. Spencer, and P. H. Bake well, H. O. Craddock, G. Dalgleisb, A, Gray, G. J. Lancaster, C. E. Mackay, P. Meczies, F. J. Rolleston, J. M. Waddell, P. D. Waller and H. Williams; whilst twenty-seven have passed the first section of their B.A. examination : —Hisses E, Campbell, J. Currie, L. Gibson, E. Graham, K. Greaaoa, C. E. Kirk, M. E. Lawrell, B. Martin, T. Max, C. B. Mills, M. Williamson, and E. G. Atkinson, S. A. Atkinson, W. D. Bean, A. E. Flower. C. W, Garrard, A. G. Henderson, K. Kippenberger, P. Milner, T. A. Murphy, T. K. Quill, A. W. Shrimpton, J. Sutherland, J. Waddell, A. H. Wall, J. Williamson and W. Wilson. E. Rutherford, M.A., and E. S. Buchanan, M.A., also attained the degree of B.Sc. J. lanes, M.A., obtained the degree of LL.D., and D. Bates, A. Dunn, A. E. Kirk and C. P. Knight that of LL.B. T. A, Murphy also parsed the first section of tho LL.B. examination, and A. G. Muir parsed tho first section of the B.Sc. examination, whilst he and A. B. Craddock passed the first section of the B.Sc. (engineering) examination, T. E. Burt the second section and G. A. Julius and J, Parr the third. G. Lancaster gained the senior scholarship in mathematics, A. Gray that in physics and H. 0. Craddock that in Greek. A. G. Henderson gained the Bowen Prize for 1894, for an essay on "The causes of British success in the rivalry with other Powers for supremacy in India.” The College exhibitions, given for excellence in honours work p,t the College annual examination, were awarded as follow For Latin, J. M. Waddell; for English, Miss J. Mulholland and P. J. Wilkes (equal); for mathematics, C. E. Mackay and G. Lancaster (equal); for experimental science, G. Lancaster and A. Gray (equal); for natural science, Miss M. E. Lawrell; for Gorman, Mies E. V. von Haast. . C. A. Pemberton passed the Intermediate Medical Examination. The graduates of the University of New Zealand who have bean educated at the College now nujnber 178, 84 of whom have obtained the degree of M.A., 96 the degree of 8.A., 6 that of LL.B., and 2 that of B.Sc.; 9 arts graduates have also obtained the degree of LL.B., 8 that of B.Sc., and 2 that of LL.D. Of the Masters of Arts, 4 gained double firstclasa honours, 1 a double first-class and a second, 1 a first-class and a second, 1 a first-class in arts 'and a second-class in science, 33 first-class honours, 2 double second, 26 second and 15 third-class, and of the Bachelors of Science, 1 gained second-class. Thus, out of 423 who have taken degrees in the University of New Zealand (exclusive of medical degrees, for which this college cannot enter candidates), 178 belong to Canterbury College; out of the 176 who have taken the M.A., 93 belong to it; and of the 66 who have taken first-class honours, 41 belong to it. Of the 113 senior and third year and John Tinline Scholarships awarded by the University of New Zealand during the last eighteen years—the period during which the present scholarship regulations have been in force —7O have been awarded to students of Canterbury College. Of the 20 Bowen Prizes which have been awarded by the University for an essay on a subject connected with English history, and open to all undergraduates of the University of New Zealand, 14 have been gained by students trained in this college, whilst, the only three mentioned as proxime accessit have also bean of this college. ’ Dr Dendy, chairman of the Professorial Council, then asked those who had gained their degrees to come up on jto the platform and sign their names and shake hands with the Chairman. As the students were called up to sign

their names they were loudly applauded; and a verse of a well-known football song was sung when a member of the College football team went up to sign his name. The ladies were greeted with a verse of " For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow ” and “ Long Live Canterbury College.” The Rev Gordon Webster said he sympathised very warmly with the students in their annual celebration. Ha heartily congratulated them on their success, and hoped they would always remember tbeir college days. The time he spent' at the Edinburgh University would always remain fresh in his memory, and he hoped tho students of Canterbury College, who had gained their degrees and who were going out into tho world, would be a credit to their College. (Applause.) Sir E. Stout said ho was exceedingly pleased to see that the students of Canterbury College valued their old servants. They bad evidently not forgotten Professors Brown and Bickerton, both of whom from what he (Sir B. Stout) had known of them had done their best in tho interests of tho college. He was pleased to seetnat a School of Engineering and Agriculture had been started in connection with ohe college. This was a step ia advancing higher education. It was all very well to have elementary and grammar schools, but they could not expect to see the colony advance unless the young men had higher education. He hoped to see the College some day furnish a professor who cpnld fill Professor Brown’s place, and hoped the students would continue their learning when they left college. He congratulated the students on their success, and the people of Canterbury on the college it possessed. (Applause.) \ In response to the cries of the students, Professor Bickerton and Dr Denny delivered short addresses. The speakers were subjected to a considerable amount of " chaff,” but the students were orderly throughout. Ins songs were very good _ and were well sung to pianoforte, flute and drum accompaniments, while several students played tin whistles and various other instruments. Tho proceedings wore.brought to a close with cheers for the professors and the singing of the National Anthem.