UNIVERSITY LIFE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23021, 26 April 1938, Page 16

UNIVERSITY LIFE

RESIDENTIAL COLLEGES AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT EXAMPLE FROM ENGLAND [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] WELLINGTON, Monday Tlio adoption at leading American universites of a system of residential .colleges similar to those of Oxford and Cambridge was described by Mr. Harris Whittemore, of Connecticut, a traveller by the Franconia. At Yale, ho said, 10 colleges had been, founded, each with 200 to 1300 students in residence. While they made no attempt to cope with tutorial work, as was done in the great English universities, the colleges provided a valuable social background for students. They were encouraged to maintain a range of interest as varied as possible, rather than to attract all students specialising in one particular subject or oneparticular sport. They did not interfere in any way with the university system of instruction, but were purely residential in nature. However, they organised their own spefrts teams and so on, and played an important part in the life of the university. Harvaid, lie understood, intended to start a j similar scheme.

,lt was not easy to work one's way through an American university simply on the merits of one's ability at some particular sport, sslid Mr. "Whittemore. On the other hand, senior men would naturally bo likely to bring their influence to bear in tlio case of a man who was adept at an important sport and things might bo made easier for him hi consequence. It was also possible for many students to work their way through university by working at a part-time job when they were not studying. Although most of the students were there to gain a degree in some practical subject which would bo of service to them in after life there were, as in English universities, a number who wero there solely on account of the social standing of the institutions.