NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12242, 30 June 1900, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY.

DIPLOMA DAY AT CANTERBURY COLLEGE. Yesterday afternoon the ceremony of conferring degrees and diplomas on those University students who have graduated at Canterbury College, took place in the College HalL There was » large attendance of the public. Sir James Hector, Chancellor of the University, presided, and there were also on the platform Mr J. W. Joynt, Registrar of tbe University, Mr H. R. Webb (chairman), and the Right Rev Bishop Grimes, the Rev Canon Harper, and Air T. S. Foster (members of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College), Professors Cook, Ha,slam, Clarke, Wall, Dendy and Scott, Captain Hutton, Dr Evans, the Very Rev Lo Menant de Chesnais, the Revs Canon. Knowles, H. C. M. Watson, and H. Northcote, Dr Jennings, Messrs C. F. Brume, W. B. Izard, C. C. Farr and A. C. Wilson (Registrar of Canterbury College). The Chancellor said that it was again his pleasure to oome to confer tho degress gained during the year; in doing so he was carrying out the wishes of the University Senate, which had decided to request the Chancellor to attend personally at each centre. The University had now been in existence twenty-eight years. During tho first few years it could not do mnch work, and the students had only numbered twenty or twenty-five, but now they had increased to 1350, showing that there was a steady and growing appreciation of the work of the University. • There were now affiliated to the University, four colleges, one in each of the chief centres, and at those colleges there were 48 professors and lecturers, whose time was fully engaged in instructing the students. Altogether there had been 764 undergraduates, who had graduated in the different sections of the arts and. sciences. On Tuesday, they had had’ the - first Bachelor of Music, -and that day the degree would Be conferred on another. In; addition to the students cn the books of the. University, there was a large number of unattached students. For instance, at that College, Professor Scott ■told him that in : his engineering classes, there were many Students who had not matriculated, and were -nob proceeding to the degree cf Bachelor of Science in Engineering, which was in his opinion a very difficult degree. As well as instructing their own students, many of the professors (hsseminated information by giving lectures to the public, and the influence of these was incalculable. He would now call -upon Professor Cook, as a member of the University Senate, to address them.

Professor Cook -said that he could not begin better than by reminding those present- of the difference between that, day’s ceremony and the ceremonies of a few years ago. Now it was more than a ceremony, and had an actual value. Formerly degrees were conferred by resolution of the Senate, and tie ceremony of the presentation of diplomas was rather an empty one. That day was Degree Day rather than Diploma Day, and they had tie real tiling, and not a siadow. A student might pass all his examinations, but he did not graduate until the Chancellor pronounced tie operative words. In times past they had-had too many absentees, and .he trusted that would not be tie case that day ; in many other universities, students had to pay for tic privilege of absenting themselves on such an occasion. There had been some failures to.pass the examinations, but he hoped those students who had failed, would pluck • up courage, and try again. The examinations were very real ones, and he recognised' that they were severe. ’' They were conducted by men who had no connection whatever with the University, or its teaching, and he, looked on that method as of very great value, and adding, weight to tie degrees. They had been fortunate from time to tube in obtaining as examiners, men of eminence. The Chancellor had referred to the- fact . that the degree of Bachelor of Music was to ; be. conferred that.'-day-;’ -yHe'- might mention that the examiner in music was Dr Mackenzie, principal of the Royal Academy, London. Though this system of examination was better ’ adapted for some subjects than others, he attached very much weight to it, and would be sorry to see it changed. They had most trouble with the examinations which were conducted in tie colony, and he would like to see the system of outside examinations extended os far as possible. The students who had passed their examinations were entitled to congratulations. It had been said that their students were called on to take too many subjects, and were expected to know a little about a great many subjects. That J criticism might perhaps apply to pass degrees; but he thought that if the practice at other universities was examined, it would be found that very much the same state of things existed. The students in honours, if they arranged their courses ’with reasonable care, could devote one or two years almost exclusively to : the one or two subjects which they wished specially to take up. Another remark was that their students did-too little in the way of original work. That he considered was hardly fair. They would find that most of the Philosophical Societies: of tie colonies had among their members-stu-dents of the. University, who contributed their quota to the proceedings of . the societies. Also, not a few of the best students of the University went to older countries to contiue their work; anyone connected with that College could count up quite a number,who had gone, and those were the students who, if they remained,., would do original work. : It ■ was a matter of regret that they could not be kept in .the colony. At any rate, the criticism-only meant that tie University had not yet reached its highest development. Original --work,, needed leisure; large libraries and well-equipped, laboratories. The- leisured - class ■ was ■ practi- . oally non-existent in the-colony, and as soon as a student,had -obtained his.degree he had to devote himself;to some work, that would bring in immediate remuneration.:; The libraries were not such as would assist a student in original research, and the laboratories were only rudimentary.-, The laboratories in particular needed assistance either from tho Government or private sources. He noticed that there had been one or two bequests recently to tho Public Library, and he hoped that someone who had the means would assist the laboratory of Canterbury College. . At this stage the undergraduates who had remained outside marched into the hall; and took their seats. ■

The Registrar of the University said that before 1 reading the list- of graduates, ho would give .some information regarding the passes obtained by Canterbury College as compared -with the rest of the colony. In connection with the degree examinations, out of fifteen, who had obtained- Honours in Arts, nine had come from Canterbury .College ; four had passed the different examinations for Bachelor of Science in Engineering, all of.them from Canterbury. College, which went in specially' for this branch. With regard to the degree, of Bachelor of Music, though it was not necessary to attend lectures as for other degrees, ■ 'Mr Laurence F. Watkins, who had received: the degree in Wellington, had kept one ,year’sterms at Canterbury College. Mr • Patrick Marshall, who was to receive the degree of Doctor of . Science in Auckland, had taken, his B.A. degree at Canterbury . College. Out of sixty passes for the first section of the B.A; degree, nineteen had come from Canterbury College, and of thirty for the final section there had been nine from Canterbury College.. There were three examinations for the LL.B. degree; and in the first, eleven had passed in the whole colony, one from Canterbury College; in the second, sixteen in the whole colony, nine from Canterbury College; and in the third, nine in the whole colony, 'three from Canterbury College. Of six senior scholarships awarded, two had gone to Canterbury College students; and the T-'nline Scholarship had been won by a student now at Otago University, but who had kept one year’s term at Canterbury College. The remaining degrees were medical, and, of course, all went to Dunedin. One of the graduates that day had gained double first-class, honours, a’, very high academic distinction. In the history of the University, there had. only been six double firsts, and they had all been gained by Canterbury College. 3Che. degree ;-r. ,wexs 'th* h. ,cqxfierred.aad.jiie

diplomas presented- 'by the Chancellor, each, graduate being greeted with hearty ap-. plans© and cheers. The following is the list of. graduates: —Masters ox Arts—Ellen Miriam Allen, third-class honours' in Languages and literature (Latin and English ; John Sisson St- George Cooper, first-class honours in Mathematics and Mathematical, Physics, and first-dass honours in Physical Science; Ethel Marianne Gibson, third-class honours in Languages and Literature (Eng. lish and French); Edward James Parr,' second-class honours in Languages and' Literature (English and French); Frederick Henry Martin Benner, second-class honours in Languages and Literature (English and German) (conferred in Wellington). Bachelors of Music—Alios Mary - Griffiths M* Lean nee Rowley;- Lawrence Frederick Watkins (conferred in Wellington). . Bachelors of Arts—John Joseph Adams, Annie BLennerhassett (to be conferred in Auckland), Janetta Martha Hornsby, Ethel May Jacobsen, Michael Oormac Keane (senior scholarship, in. Mathematics), Cora Violet Longton nee Hickson (conferred in- Wellington); Edmund Brydges .Rudhall Prideaux- (senior scholarship in Latin) ; Elizabeth Matilda Rowley ; Marjory Ann Williamson. Bachelors of Laws—Edward Burns Moore, Kenelm Neave and Reginald Vincent. The Registrar mentioned that the Bowen prize had been won by Alfred Sydney Taylor of that College, but the books , had not yet arrived. The Chancellor then invited , Professor Dendy, as representing the Professorial Board, to speak,' but immediately after the degrees had been conferred, the undergraduates had risen from their seats and they left the hall in a body, some of them singing “ Soldiers of the Queen ” as they went. They were followed by a large number of the public, and it -was some time before Professor Dendy could obtain a hearing. ■ : .Professor 1 ! Dendy: said that, he had been invited to speak on behalf of the'Professorial Board, and he would express their indebtedness to the Chancellor for coming personally to confer the degrees. The- ceremony had only been revived' on the distinct understand-, mg' that it was to bo conducted as the Senate thought fit, and under the circumstances they had to thank the undergraduates for staying away. " He knew how hard at was for them to suppress their animal spirits, and one would have been sorry to : place them under the. irksome restraint of sitting quiet for 'an hour.' They must congratulate them therefore on having recognised that “ discretion was the better part of valour,” and retired. He would only briefly congratulate those student® who had obtained their degrees. Mr H. R. Webb said that he woulddike to say a few words as to what the Board -of Governors intended to do in the future. For some years the ' Board had had a desire Jo separate the Chairs of and Physics, aricl it.'had recently been' decided to have a Professor of Chemistry as well as one of Physics. That resolution had, however, been rescinded, and they had decided to appoint Professor Bickertdn. as Professor of Chemistry, arid establish a lectarship in Physics;- They had' also decided on the, establishment- s of; an electrical branch of the School of Engineering, and he was glad-to say that, they had appointed Mr A. R. Craddock, an old student, as lecturer in that department. Dr. Evans, with Mr, S, Page, was carrying on,- Professor Bickerton's work, at present had been appointed lecturer in Physics;; ;The of a Chair of Mental Science'had; not' been lost sight of, but want of means &pod in their way at present. He concluded by. congratulating the recipients of degrees -on their, success. ■; ’■ •; .' The Chancellor said that concluded- the proceedings. .He had only -to thank those present for them attendance.