HOPES REALISED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23011, 12 April 1938, Page 14

HOPES REALISED

NEW ZEALAND VISIT AMERICAN EDUCATIONIST UNITED STATES DIFFICULTIES ■ Now a retired educationist in his 82nd. year, a man with n life-long ambition to visit New Zealand and Tasmania had his hopes realised when the German -cruise liner Reliance berthed at Auckland yesterday. He is Mr. W. I. Clark-Smith, former associate headmaster of St. Luke's College, Philadelphia, who in an interview, described what he termed "gratifying trends" in the scope and methods of higher education in the United States.

"Even as a schoolboy, New Zealand and Australia had an irresistible fascination for me, and in recent years this has been increased by the reports of several of my friends who have visited the Dominion," he said. "On the present cruise 1 have had the good fortune to see Tasmania and I am now looking forward keenly to enjoying tho hospitality of New Zealand. On the eve of my departure from NewYork I was told by a world traveller that in her mind the things that would linger longest ill her memory wore the mosques of India and the scenio grandeur and variety of New Zealand." Raising of Standards The standards of college education in the United States had been raised considerably, Mr. Clark-Smith said. This to a large extent had been done to keep out the "classy" young fellow, whose parents looked upon a university as a centre for social life and sport, and students of this type now faced the hurdle of more rigid entrance examinations. Much greater co-opera-tion existed between students and tho faculties, and every prolessor made an effort to obtain close contact with the young men and women and to encourage them to come to him. The present administration, however, had had its effects upon the students. Business' conditions would not improve until there was a iixed policy which had the approval and confidence of the business world and, with unsettled conditions ruling throughout the country, the greatest difficulties faced young men about to leave their colleges and set out on a career. Their parents had done all in their power to assist them but, under the present regime, the students themselves did not know which way to turn. Views of Another Authority

Another educationist with 34 years' experience who was on board the Rejianco was Professor Samuel F. Holmes, who recently resigned from the position of headmaster of Worcester College, Massachusetts. He stressed the necessity for a revision of ideas on education and, deploring the lack of leadership training, expressed the opinion that the older type of education in vogue 50 years ago was in some respects sounder than that of to-dav. • It gave the generation of tomorrow a broader background of knowledge and developed judgment and character, whereas the aim to-day was more to equip youth for a practical career in the shortest possible time.

"The results of the system introduced bv Cecil Rhodes have not been altogether up to the expectations of the founder," Professor Holmes added. "In 35 years, large number of Rhodes scholars have not developed the qualities of leadership so essential if they are to play an important part in promoting the progress of democracy. However, the svstem is an admirable one and. in time, these qualities may be revealed."