CARNEGIE CORPORATION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22018, 26 January 1935, Page 13

CARNEGIE CORPORATION

ARRIVAL OF PRESIDENT DR. FREDERICK KEPPEL OFFICIAL TOUR OF DOMINION Representing an organisation which has conferred enormous benefits upon education in Great Britain and the Dominions, Dr. Frederick Paul Keppel, president of the Carnegie Corporation, of New York, nO'ived by the Monterey yesterday on an official visit to New Zealand. He is accompanied by Mrs. Keppel. During the four weeks that Dr. Kepppl will spend in New Zealand he will acquaint himself with the work of the corporation and will visit libraries, universities and museums with which his organisation is concerned.

"The last benefaction made by Andrew Carnegie, just before he died," said Dr. Keppel, "was the setting aside of 10,000,000 dollars for work 'of an educational nature in what he called Canada and the British Colonies. This was to be administered by an American board of trustees, following the same principles as the organisation controlling the fund in the United States. The original aim was the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding, and this has been the guiding theme throughout. Although there is no connection between the two funds, the manifestations have been very much the same."

Development of Activities There had been different degrees of development in the various activities supported by the .corporation, he stated. The professional side of library service had gone further in the United States, Britain and perhaps Scandinavia than elsewhere. Faculties of library administration had been inaugurated in the universities, although that was an evolution that had not yet completed itself. In schools there had been a concentration on the fine arts and music. These studies had never been implemented as they had been in the case of chemistry and other sciences, and students had been taught what they might expect in the way' of equipment for these studies. In this respect, great strides had been made in Australia, due to the vigorous enthusiasm of Dr. Cunningham and his associates. "In our programmes in pictorial art, including more opportunity for creative work, and in music, it is fair to say that the pressure has come from the much abused younger generation, and from the students rather than from the teachers," said Dr. Keppel. "They have shown the utmost keenness for a wider knowledge of these phases of culture." Maori Education During his visit to New Zealand Dr. Keppel hopes to fulfil an ambition to study the various aspects of Maori education, particularly as they affect the preservation of native crafts, and he instanced the wonderful work that had been done in this direction with the North American Indians. He also hopes to study adult education, having had close contact with the Workers' Educational Association through the university colleges. Dr. Keppel has been' president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York since 1923. A great scholar, he holds the degree of doctor of literature of six United States • and Canadian universities. Until 1908 he was a faculty dean of Columbia University and from 1908 to 1918 was secretary to the American Association of International Conciliation.

After spending four days in Auckland, Dr. Keppel will leave for the South, returning here later. His southern tour will include both islands.