VICTORIA COLLEGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21794, 8 May 1934, Page 10

VICTORIA COLLEGE

EARLY DIFFICULTIES HANDICAPS OF PROFESSORS An interesting review of the history of Victoria College. Wellington, from its early days to its present eminence, was given last Friday by Mr. A. H. Johnstone, K.C., of Auckland, a. graduate of the college, in making the presentation to the institution, on behalf of past and present students, of portraits in oils of the four foundation professors.

Mr. Johnstone said that more than 36 years ago the college was founded by Act of.Parliament, but at Jhe time the financial arrangements were hopelessly inadequate. There was no provision for buildings, library or equipment, arid although there was soon the nucleus of a library—thanks to the generosity of members of the staff the equipment was gradually acquired—it was not for several years that the college had a home of its own.

The council was not deterred by those serious difficulties, said Mr. Johnstone, but it determined, according to an account contained in an old calendar, to begin, not by pressing for buildings and equipment, but by the appointment of four professors for the chairs of classics, linglish language and literature, chemistry and physics, and mathematics.

"The four professors," said Mr. Johnstone, "had come from ancient and richly endowed seats of learning, from associations of culture, and firm mouldering halls and the glory of gardens. f-hey came to a place where higher learning was but little esteemed, where they were obliged to" work in uncon£enial surroundings &nd under ©very conceivable handicap." lhere was ample precedent even for these handicaps, Mr; Johnstone added. Sir Alirred Hopkinson, late of Victoria university, Manchester, remarked that he found the professor of chemistry at Armstrong College lecturing in the kitchen of what had been an old dwelling house, and a distinguished professor at work with his apparatus in the pantry."

The first four professors were:—Professors H. Mackenzie, J. Rankine Brown. T. H. Lasterfield and the late K. G. Maciaunn.