PART-TIME STUDENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19201, 15 December 1925, Page 9

PART-TIME STUDENTS.

Sir,—ln the public discussions that have so far taken place in regard to the report of the University Commission, prominence has been given to the questions of separate universities and- special schools. But so far little note has been taken of the commission's recommendations in.regard to the part-time student,' te., the > student who earns his living while attending university lectures, and the exempted student (i.e., hi an who is unable, to attend classes all and is compelled to study by himself). As this matter is of vital importance to the community, itseems advisable that the public should realise the significance of the commission's recommendations in regard to these two questions. Hitherto, in New Zealand, it has been our proud boast that university education is accessible to all who are- willing and anxious to avail themselves of it. Our balls of learning have been thrown open impartially to rich and poor. At present in Auckland, out of 1012 students attending the University College, only 17 per cent, are giving their fnll time to college work. Now, while it is true that a certain small proportion of the remaining 83 per cent, might give their full time to their work, by far the greater proportion of them are part-time students by necessity. 'While agreeing then that students should be encouraged to give their fulltime to college work if that is possible, I cannot support the commissioners in their sweeping strictures on the part-time students' They state; "la our opinion the full benefits of university life and teaching cannot be secured under a system in which the whole of the university is dominated by the necessities of the evening student." Therefore, every effort should be made to reduce the number of students who devote only part time to college work, since even when they pass their degree exams, "they have gained little mental training and little, interest in knowledge for its own sake." On the exempted student the commission is even harder, stating: "A special degree should be given to those candidates who pass the necessary examinations, but have not shared in the .life 'of the university." "A special degree" can only mean a lower degree, consequently, however hard 'the unfortunate exempted student may work and whatever eminence he may attain in the subjects that he studies, he must be stamped with the hall-mark of an inferior degree, even though he has been examined lon the same papers as the internal | student. If our university system is to j be longer dominated" by the needs ! of the part-time student, and if it 'is to | be arranged in the interests of the wealthy | student, and if the exempted student is I to be denied the regular degree altoI getber, it is as well to realise that there will be established among ns a university on purely class lines, in which learning will bestow her treasures with a suave smile upon the fortunate and the wealthy and turn coldly from enthusiasm, ambition and levo of knowledge when they are accompanied bv a lean bank account. What are our Professorial Board, our Court of Convocation, our College Council, our Board of Studies and our Senate going to do in the face of this insidious attack on our most cherished educational rights and liberties ? It will be interesting to see how they will rise in defence of these part-time students on whom the universitv has in past mainly depended,..and wether they will attempt to secure .for them the justice to which our democratic traditions and privileges entitle them." Graduate.