EDUCATIONAL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1403, 19 January 1899, Page 32

EDUCATIONAL.

THE VICTORIA USIIVERSITY COLLEGE. :i POINTMENT OF PROFESSORS. Iho most important meeting yet lield • ~ the Council of tho Victoria University ' dlege took place at the Corporation •■lfices last w*>ek, His Worship the Mayor v \lr J. R. Blair) in the chair. There as a full attendance of the Council, ■•eluding Bishop Wallis, Rev Dr Watters, r Robert Stout, Messrs Graham, P. 'Regan, C. Wilson, M.'sH.R., Rev W. I «;vans, Messrs Seymour, Bauchope, i irth, Watson, Fleming and Dr James. The chief and only business of the :-.ieeti»g was to decide the appointments o the four chairs oi : C : a«s\c3. Mathematics, English and Chemistry and ' cience, for which over 150 applications • ad been sent in. The members of the i iouncil have for several days past been •arefully engaged in studying the testi•lonials of the various candidates, and •he opinions of the special educational oxperts, Professor Dowden, Sir Joshua Fitch and Professor Seth Pringle Patterson. The proceedings of the Council were in committee, but we understand that the system of voting ensured "an absolute majority in each case. The nominators of the various candidates made speeches in support of the latter's claims, and it was no£ until a quarter past twelve that the last of the four names was finally announced. The four successful candidates are as folI lows: PROFESSOR OF CLASSICS. John Brown, M.A., St. Andrew's University, 8.A., Oxon, senior assistant to the Professor of Humanity and Lecturer on Latin in the University of Glasgow. Professor Brown is thirty-seven years of I age, is married, but lias no family. He ,is a native of St. Andrews, having been I educated at the Madras College in that I city, and entering at the University of St. Andrews in 1877. Ho graduated I M.A. in 1881, gaining, the Guthrie I Scholarship for Classics and English— I the most valuablo scholarship at St. j Andrews. In 1881 ho was elected to I an open scholarship at Worcester College, ..Oxford; in 1883 was placed in the First Class by the Classical Moderators; I in 1885 in the Second Clas3 by the examiners in tho School of Litterao Human- |. lores; and graduated as B.A. in 1886. After acting for a time as assistant to Professor Campbell, Professor of Greek, I and to Professor Spencer Baynes, Professor of Logic and English Literature at St. Andrews, Professor Brown in I 1886 was appointed senior assistant to If/tho Professor of Humanity in the Uni|"!versity of Glasgow, which post ho now I holds. In 1896 he received the adi ditional appointment of Lecturer in Latin ft. in the University. He conducts many special classes, including that for women lients at Queen Margaret College, boss acting as additional Examiner in a at Glasgow University. He has n employed as an examiner of higher »s schools of the Scotch Education >artment, and has published imporb educational works. Amongst the ly authorities who testify not only Professor Brown/s high educational lifications, but also to his excellent, racter, eloquence, pleasant manner I other good qualities, may be mented the following:—George G. Ramj LL.D., Professor of History ; George \.. Murray, M.A., Professor of Greek; liam Jack, LL.D., Professor of bhematics (all of the University of sgow); Professor Meiklejohn, M.A., feasor of Education at St. Andrews; liam Knight, LL.D., Professor of ral Philosophy at the same Univer- '; and other leading men at Oxford [ Dublin Universities. Testimony is > paid to the fact that Professor rnn has nothing of the mere bookworm lSrt>out him, but takes a hearty and 'healthy interest in the athletic and 'Social side of college life. PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS Richard Cockbutfi iMadlaurin, M.A. (New Zealand), B.A. (Cambridge). ProWpgor Maclaurin, who is at present en|j*eaged in mathematical research and as a Brivate tutor at Cambridge, is twentyyears of age, and has gained his 'teaching experience at St. John's College, Cambridge; the McGill University, 'Montreal, Canada; and the University I College, Auckland, 'iNew Zealand. He Mis unmarried. Born in the year 1870, <£-*n Auckland, the future professor relived his early education at the Haubtt public school, Auckland. At Irteen he won a district scholarship at 0 Auckland College and Grammar ;hool. In three years be was head of e school and had gained senior scholarly. ' At seventeen he won a junior jjyersity scholarship, being placed at 0 head of the list for the whole colony. § then joined the Auckland University »llege, and was first in the class list iring each of the three years of his idergraduate course. In his third

year he graduated as 8.A., and received the Senior University Scholarship for Mathematics. ' At the end of the following year he took his M.A. degree with first-class honours in Mathematics and Mathematical Physics. In 1892 he entered at. Cambridge, whero ho was elected to exhibitions at Emmanuel College, and also at St. John's. Ho chose tho latter, and on the first annual examination was elected « foundation scholar of that College. In his third year he graduated 8.A., being Twelfth Wrangler. He continued his studies and entered for tho second part of tho Mathematical Tripos (an examination confined to Wranglers of the previous year). Mr Maclaurin specialised on the physical side of Mathematics, and in the examination was placed in the first division of the first class, and bracketed with the Senior Wrangler of the previous year. Ho then accepted a temporary appointment at the McGill University at Montreal, where he gained high credit as a teacher, and using hi 3 spare time to compete for a Smith Prize at Cambridge, ivhich he gained. In Montreal he was engaged in preparing candidates for the mathematical section of their examination in engineering at the McGill University. Upon the award of the Smith Prizo being made, Mr Maclaurin returned to Cambridge, where he has been engaged as a tutor. He was to be admitted an M.A. and Master of Laws in this month. He also holds the McMahon Law Studentship, the most valuable leeral prize in Cambridge. Professor Mac\aurin's testimonials are many, and exceedingly eulogistic, including testimonials from D. McAlister, M.A., B.Sc, M.D., Senior Wrangler in 1877, Fellow and Tutor of St. John's College, Cambridge, and a number of the highest qualified authorities in the study of mathematics. In November, 1898, Professor Maolaurin was elected a Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, and won the 100 guinea Yorke Prize in this month, news of this being received in Wellington by cable two or three days ago. A New Zealand boy, starting his educational career in the primary schools, he is now elected to one of the highest positions j in the colony of which ho is a native, j PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS. Thomas Hill Easteifidd, Cambridge, M.A. (Cambridge), Ph.D. (Wurzburg). Professor EasterfiVld, who is 32 years of ige, is a married man wilh two children. ■1 student of the Yorkshire College, Leeds, Professor Easterfield's academic distincions are ns follow: —Sumoi Foundation Scholar, Clare College, Cambridge; firstclass honours, Natural Sciences Tripos, ambridge (chemistry, physics, geology, zoology) ; first-class honours, Examination for the Doctorate, Wurzburg (chemistry, physics and technology) His scientific training is thus recorded :—Three years •it the Yorkshire College, four years at the University of Cambridge, one and a half years at the University of Wurzburg, six months at the Zurich Polytechnic School, and two months at the Laboratory Of the Great Northern Railway. His experience as teacher, lecturer and examiner includes work done as assistant demonstrator in the University Laboratory; three years University Extension Leoturer m Chemistry and Physics (20 courses) j five years Lecturer on the Chemistry of Sanitary Science and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, 1892 to 1898 ; four years Lecturer in Physics lo the Agricultural Syndicate; three years as University Examiner in Pharmaceutical Cl.emistiy ;

three years Examiner (Physics) fcr Cambridge Local Examinations; four yrars Lecturer (Chemistry) for Oxford and Cambridge Schools Examination Hoard. The titles of the papers on original investigations cover an exceedingly widti ground, and number nearly 20, including papers lead before the Y-rk shire Geological Society, Cambridge Philosophical Society, Chemical Society, London. His advanced pupils have obtained the highest University distinction*. Testimonials to his knowledge, tenoning successes and original research work are given by G. D. Liveing, MA, Professor of Chemistry at Cambridge; T. E. fhnrpp, LL D , F.R.S., Principal of the Government Laboratory; Junes Dow*r, M.A, F.lt.S . Jacl.eoniin Professor at Cambridge and President of the Chemical Society, and others. PROFEBSOR OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE. Hugh McKenzie, M A. (St. Andrew's), University House, St. Andrew's Professor Hugh McKenzie, M.A.., is a native of Ross-shir», and is a ymng?r brother of the Hon John McKenzie, Minister of Lands in tho New Zealand Government. He is thirty-six years of age, and received his early education at the Ardross School, hold ing the position of head of the school for three years. His academical earner can be thus briefly summarised : In 1878 he won a bursary of .£lB a year (for three years) at the Grammar School, Aberdeen, thence proceeding to St. Andrew's as winner of the McPhail bursary. He won a foundation and Gray Bursar (j 6105) at Rt Andrew's in 1881-2; First Rank of Honours and Prizeman in Rhetoric and English Literature in 1881-2; same rank in following year; First Rank of Honours and Prizeman in Logic and Metaphysics in 1883-4 ; First Rank of Honours and Prizeman, Theory, Histoiy and Practice of Education, 1885-6 ; First Rank of Honours and Prizeman, Advanced Logic and Metaphysics in 1888 - 9 Amongst those who testify to his work are the late Professor Thomas S. Paynes, LL.B., LLD., Professor of English Literature.at St. Andrew's and editor of the J " Encyclopaedia Britanniea " ; Professor Andrew Seth, M.A., LL.D., Professor of Logic and Metaphysics, Kdinburgh University ; Professor J. M. Meiklejohn, M.A., Profefaor of the Theory, History and Practice of Education, St. Andrew'?; and tT>« Marquess of Bute Kf,, LL D., Rector of St. Andrew's University, one of whoso sous is now a pupil of Profit For McKenzie. Professor JVJcKenziu has been engaged for 10 yeara in historical work at St. Andrew's,, where he has founded and at present carries on the University House, an institution which a : ms at presenting the residential advantages offered to Oxford and Cambridge students. One testimonial refers to Mr MoKenaie's knowledge of literature as being " particularly! profound Hl3 d accurate, and his gift of apt quotation as marvellous." The testimonials as to manner and character are couched in high terms of praise. An adjourned meeting of the Victoria College Council was held on Thursday night. It was decided to have copies of Mr GammelFs report printed and circulated amongst members of the Council for discussion at next meeting. Mr O'Regan complained about the shortness of the notice given of the scholarship examinations, and it was decided that notice of the next examina-

tions should be given at the earliest possible moment, and in such manner as shall be decided at tnc next meeting of the Council. It was resolved to pay Mr Gammell £l5O for his services as examiner. A discussion took place as to tho date when teaching operations should commence, and a decision was arrived at that an endeavour should bo made to commence work on' or about the 31st March. The Chairman announced that .arrangements were practically completed for the use of the Ministerial residence in Tinakori road as a place in which the classes could be held pending the erection of a University. SCHOLARSHIP EXAMINATIONS. REPORT OF THE EXAMINER. These scholarships are of the value of £2O for city residents and £4O for | thoso from the country, and the candidates were restricted within the age of 14 years. Tho term of scholarship is five years, and the conditions state that tho holder must enter himself or herself (there is no sex restriction) upon the books of the college, attend the lectures, and diligently prosecute studies to the satisfaction of the Professorial Board, and will bo so exempt from tho payment of lecture fees. Tho subjects on which candidates were examined were— English Composition, Grammar, Geography, History (each carrying a maximum of 300 marks), Science and Drawing (200 marks each), Arithmetic (400 marks), and one of the following subjects : Botany, Chemistry, Physiology, Domestic Economy, Physics (agricultural science). At least 50 per cent, of marks had to be secured in English, Arithmetic and Geography. The total number of candidates actually examined was 144, viz.—B7 from Wellington, 14 from Napier, 13 each from Wanganui and Nelson, 6 each from Greytown and New Plymouth, and 5 from Westport. In his report Mr Gammell states that of the 144 candidates

44 qualified in arithmetic, of whom 40* 1 further qualified in English, whilst of : these 40, 26 completed their qualifica--tion by obtaining the requisite number of marks in geography. The following are * the 26 who qualified, the first six are the winners of the scholarships, and! the others following in the order of their* marks: Possible marks, 2000 1. Bertram Joseph Jacobs, Thorndon School, Wellington ... 1639 2. Clara Millicent Taylor, Stratford School, Taranaki ... If 71 3. Donald Hall, Clyde quay School,, Wellington ... ... ... 1564 4. Thomas Mitchell, Stafford School. Westland ... ». . 1561 5. Henry Greathead Rex Massy n Clyde quay School, WeHiy ig l ton ... 1531 6. Frank William Gamble, Pe* Mne School ... 1477 Frederick A. Kitchinghana, Greymouth ... 1462 George Rae Hutcheson, 7 Jerrace School, Wellington 1453 Thomas E. Lang, District School Napier 1443 Meta Gibbs, Clyde qua. -1 - School, Wellington ... ' 1432 Graham R. Barnett, 7 .uamarina, Blenheim ... ... ... 1347 Diamond Jonness, Hut t School . 1316 Ada M. Powell, Strat' o rd... ... 1305 Ina Duglcby, Dist ,-i c t School, Napior tll ... ... . 1298 William H» Pettitt, Nelson" '.'.". 1288 Harold Parkinson Terrace School, Wellington 1286 ' Daniel Gustyjfson, Carterton ... 1244 William Gr egorv. Levin 1229 Frank Har'ley, Nelson 1229 Lilias G. f Garten, Wanganui ... 1225 Margaret Meehan, Cheltenham ... 1219 Edith W ; iso, Nelsom 1216 Frances L. Kiernau, Nelson ... 1208 Andrew Paterscn, Newtown Scl 100 1, Wellington 1166 John « 7 .ohnson, Clyde quay School, ' . V /ellington 1105 John Dawson, Hastings 1070 Sr ,eaking as to the character of the ansr (r erg as a whole the examiner reports the t they were excellent to an extent wJ ach surprised and gladdened him.

After making allowance for those candidates who should not have presented themselves, the rest of the work was marked by intelligence, thoroughness, accuracy, and in some subjects even comprehensiveness, and evidence was given of careful training in the preparation and arranging of answers. Evidently the children had been well trained in this most important art, and so were able to exhibit their work in bold, symmetrical and transparent grouping, indicative of orderly and methodical minds. The remarks particularly apply to the 26 candidates who have fully qualified themselves for scholarships, and " of whom it is not too much to say," the report goes on, "that every one of them fully de-' serves a scholarship had the requisite number been at the disposal of the Council." Mr Gammell goes on to say: —" One thing at least is certain. No one can peruse such examination papers as those that have been laid before me on the present occasion without the conviction being forced upon him that the system of primary instruction as carried on in these districts of the colony (Wellington, Nelson, Westland, Marlborough, Hawke's Bay and Taranaki) is thoroughly efficient." Passing from the general to the particular, tho report states that the subjects specially well done were arithmetic and English, although the grammar section of the must in many cases bo excluded. He qualifies the remark on the arithmetic by saying that the working of the sums was not in all cases shown up, and the more mechanical sums, strangely enough, often proved too much for the candidate, while those involving the exercise of more intelligence and judgment were worked successfully. The weak points in the English papers were in the attempts at paraphrasing and derivation. The answers in elementary science were little short of perfection. In the five subjects from which candidates were allowed the choice of one, chemistry or physiology were the favourites, and the answers in the farmef subject were specially noteworthy, showing thoroughness in teaching the subject. Geography and history were the weak points of the papers, and (the examiner states that it is glaringly evident that geography needs to receive much more attention and thorough treatment on the part of teachers, especially the geography of the British islands and Europe generally, which in at least one education district appears to be almost wholly unknown. As to history, where it is known at all, it is still too much in the style of Standard 111. In drawing option was allowed to substitute practical solid geometry for either of the other varieties, and 16 candidates from Napier, Wanganui and Nelson took the option, but no Wellington candidate chose it—"a circumstance," says the examiner, "not much, perhaps, to be regretted in view of the fact that the exercises from this district in both freehand and model drawing were of an exceptionally high order, some of them, indeed, nearly perfect.' Mr Gammell suggests that if the Education Department were to eliminate solid geometry and transfer the plane geometry to the sixth standard, a most useful reform would be effected. The faot that only 26 qualified for scholarships, although a good performance under existing conditions, will, the examiner thinks, prove discouraging to competitors in future years. To avoid this he suggests that the minimum of marks required should be reduced to 33 per cent. such minimum to be insisted on, not in three only, but in every subject of the examination. afr Gammell was much impressed by the extreme youthfulness of the candidates engaged in the examinations. In view of this he ventures to suggest that the programme of the fifth ' standard (instead of the sixth) would be a more suitable tfest for the Queen's Scholarships than that which now obtains. Mr Gammell acknowledges assistance given in his work by Mr C. P. Powles, acting-secretary to the Council, Mr A. D. Riley, Director of the Technical School, and the Rev W. J. Habens, Inspector-General of Schools.