UNIVERSITY COMMISSION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 16 July 1925, Page 5

UNIVERSITY COMMISSION

PROFESSIONAL OPPOINTMENTS (United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 14. Before the University Commission, Mr F. Milner, headmaster'of Waitaki Bovs’ High School, said : “The Commission should investigate the methods of appointment, of university professors adopted by the governing bodies of the four affiliated colleges, to ascertain whether the factors of teaching ability, disciplinary influence, and personality generally are given adequate consideration.” He suggested that those appointments should be subject to determination after a term of probation, or that sufficient safeguards should be used to ensure success. He continued : “The position of the university profession at the apex of the educational •cheme is of unique importance, as his interpretation of his subject exercises a moulding influence on professional men and teachers, and, through the teachers,, on. the whole educational personnel in New/Zealand.. There have been far too many. instances of inefficient appointments! productive of .intellectual apathy and slipshod scholarships among students.”

In reply to the chairman (Sir Harry Reichel), Mr Milner said that he knew of professors who had failed in regard to discipline, teaching power, and inspirational qualities, although they had the academic status that gave' them their positions. The authorities should ■av« power of revocation of appointments at the end of a probationary period. Milner also said that the Senate it Ne 'y Zealand University should Allow pupils of approved secondary Mwools to sit for the medical intermedi’*te prior to entering the university. English, including English literature, hfcould be made compulsory for the 8.A.advanced grade, as well as for the B.A. p*ss. Tlie matriculation examination •nduly dominated the secondary school Curriculum to its detriment, and approved secondary schools should have Che privilege of accrediting pupils unJur safeguards. ibur separate universities were op£aeed by Air T. W. Rowe, lecturer on jurisprudence and ' law at Canterbury OsLege. He said that the degrees of jOcal universities would carry less weight than the degrees of an undivided university- To how many people outside of Iwv Zealand, he asked, would “Canterfcvjfy University” convey any meaning Vhatever? Promising students would benefit if more scholarships were availmole to deserving third and fourth year (tbdents, as they would be free from W* necessity for finding employment 0«ml they had completed the bachelor’s y/ master’s course. The inadequacy of twichmg staffs placed a heavv strain on the teaching staffs at the university colluges. The matriculation examination easy. He did not favour acin substitution of the matriou*yUon. ■ ‘Lhe fact that the present system is Blinking down under its own weight <tDes not necessitate. the establishment if four separate universities,” was the Opinion expressed by Professor C. F. tyilniond, professor ot philosophy at Canterbury College. He said that there X* re to ° many students in New Zealand Iflleges, and not a sufficiently high iiality of work. Many students whom diversity professors were called upon ly teach at present had little or no capacity for thought. Accrediting instead mi matriculation probably would increase tie present evils. The remedy was a differ matriculation) Examination, decoding a longer period at a secondary .fciiOol. ATTACK ON W.E.A. ■fha Workers’ Educational Association, was attacked before the University Commission by Professor H. Stewyesterday, found several friends and champions at the sitting of the Commission to-day. One of these was Ah W. Thomas, rector of the Timaru Boys’ High School. Air Thomas said that lie tbit that the Government subsidy to the W.E.A. should be increased. The organisation had had an effect on the vhole mental atmosphere of the smaller •-owns.

Mr F. Tate: “You find that many 'afferent claseses of students attend?” Witness: “Decidedly so. They come hem. very different strata of society.” Mr Tate: “We had evidence by Professor Stewart yesterday that in his Opinion there should be an inquiry as to whether the W.E.A. was doing the work it was originally intended to do.” Witness: “I have not seen the report, of his evidence, but I am certain that in a place like Timaru the W.E.A. does splendid work. The movement is only in its infancy, but it has affected the whole mental life of the community. The W.E.A. work should be actively promoted by the four University coi-v-ges in their different provinces'” Mr J. Shelley, who takes an active in W.E.A. instruction, submitted W<e following numbers of students at '■& Christchurch W.E.A. in rebuttal of * /ofessor Stewart’s statement that the idAsses cater for teachers, retired tradesaien, and semi-cultured ladies Manual wc/kers 192, domestic duties 232, office workers 119, teachers 109, men of the itlesmen type 81, other professional peoyle 28, miscellaneous 41; total 802. More than half the number of students, Mr Shelley said, belonged to the class of manual workers and people in their <omes.

Mr F. Milner, headmaster of the iVaitaki Boys’ High School, said that l.iere should be proper University organisation of such work with local representatives in intermediate towns. Combined with the W.E.A. work there should be facilities for University extension work' in the interest of extramural students, teachers, and the general public. Adequate financial help should be given to the University for that work, in reply to the commissioners, Mr Milner said that he conduited a class in literature at the W.E.A. in Oamaru. 'The work undoubtedly was of supreme importance. The Otago University should ask for the appointment of a special University man at an adequate salary to attend to W.E.A. work in the small centres of Otago from Invercargill to Oamaru. The work was sufficiently important to justify a much larger grant.