THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1909. A UNIVERSITY NEED.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14439, 4 February 1909, Page 6

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1909. A UNIVERSITY NEED.

While tlie community has progressed, its educational institutions have not stood still. This is satisfactory in itself, but it also means, we need hardly say, that the requirements of tJie.?e institutions have increased with their expansion. A case very much in point is that of Otago Uuivensity. When erected, tlio present University buildings no doubt appeared to catar for a period far enough ahead, but, since to-day we hear tell of ovor-ciwded class-roofusand insufficient or inconveniently-arranged accommodation, it is evident that the present student generation is somewhat severely tasting in some directions tlie provision deemed adequate in past years. Quite recently the University buildings have been increased by an addition to the Medical School, a.nd by a Dental School building, while a substantial now School of Mines building is uoaring completion. Yet with these unmistakable signs of its enlarged scope oi usefulness Otago University continues :o lack one of the mo.it important adjuncts of ifliy fcliolastic institution— to wit, suitable provision, other than .that furnished by the lecture-room,_ for

the accommodation of the students lo whom it is playing the part of nti Xlina Mater, It lacks it, indeed, because it never possessed it, but of recent years, with tho growth of the University and t-lio increase in t-lio number of students, t'ho deficiency has naturally been more iiu-d moro acutely realised by three whom it most affects. For the great majority of students tho University session is a strenuous time, not relieved with very much that breaks its hard, cold monotony. There is no need, lortunntely, to offer the pmsent generation at,l l'aci.ions iu order to give it an impulse towards higher education, butit i.s only proper that such education should be associated with rea.sonably comfortnbie siiiToiindiug conditions. It can be assorted without hesitation that those surroundings, a.s far as Otasjo I nhorsity is concerned, have in some Joiig been so much a source of real discomfort that to many students tho Inivwsiiy lias meant- the class-room and nothing more. There i.s probably 'lot a school of standing iu t'ho community, public or private, that does not muku infinitely better provision comparatively for the comfort of its pupils outside tho Otago Uni- \ ei.sity is in no sense a residential institution, but even so it. cannot afford to neglect entirely or leave out of cognisance iu its scheme of education consideration for the purely personal and gonial requirements of tlio.se who gather within its walls. Many educationists lay much stress upon the importance of the social environment, which is part of university ]jf 0 ~s affecting tho clmraclci' of the student, at a most impressionable, period. At the. presentjuncture, it is not surprising to anyone w ' lo knows anything of Otago Uni\oi!»ity to note, the dissatisfaction ex-pie.-,sod at and the inconvenience resulting the lack of accommodation for students outside lecture hours have culminated :n t'lio inauguration of a camF'gu or movement with the übjoct of raising fumls to provide a building the function Of which .shall be .solely to meet the various wants of the student body. At, the present time there are at the tniversity three or four small "cloakrooms" nt' (.lie disposal of tho students, men and women, who number over 300, awl it may be imagined that these fail mUeiablv to meet tho requirements, providing no facilily f or reiuling or study or a dr/,:eu dilferent and more or lass important purposes. What is now seriously contemplated j s the crection o. a building, in keeping w itli the architecture of the University, wliic-b shall Provide adequately for all these things. ■I he design is to include provision for a students' hall, reading room, committee ro,;n;s, gymnasium, ladies' room a room where meajs may be taken, and so forth. At present University gatherings cf which there are many, are held in vlie largest of tho class-rooms, or.if ilwt be too small or no t available, in some outside hired bail, and a students' hall would unquestionably be of great service. Tho use to which a students' building generally would be put mav be imagined when it. is mentioned 'that there are already a. dozen different- clubs ami associations connected with tho l Diversity, all of which need permanent headquarters. The advantages of a gymnasium require no specification, but 1 desirability that the women students should have something better at their disposal than their present accommodation can hardly be tow much emphasised. Altogether there i.s no question that the proposed building is h'idly needed and would be a great boon to the, student, fraternity. As usual tho unib.nig block iu (;l 'e way of its realisation is the question of finance. It IS pstu »"ted that to carry out the project as contemplated would cost £0000 hirge sum to raise in a small eomwl,ipll has already had many demands made upon its liberality. Hough tile University has no funds Ol its own to devote to such a purpose, the University authorities are in strcn.r svmpatliy with the. project, and the students and their friends are now preparing to niflke a. big effort to carry it out,. An appeal will he made to the public, and the. juncture is undoubtedly one at which tlie friends of the University may bo expected to rally round tho institution. 'We need say no more to commend so worthy an object- to the practical support, of the citizens of Dunedin or point out, for the benefit of tlio.se best situated to take advantage of it, the excellent opportunity now, presenting itself for a generous display of public spirit in the. interests of an important educational cause and an institution which does this city and province credit. As to tho Government •subsidy which is hoped for iu respect, of tho money raised locally, if one argument more thai) another were needed to impress on the Government the desirability of assisting this students' building project, it would be surely this, that the present students of Otasio University and, as wo hope, the past students and the citizens of Dunedin, are prepared to give both energy and money for the purpose of providing a building of a kind such as every university worthy of the name ought to possess as a- matter of course for the use of students, and which, once established, will be a valuable asset to Otago University for many years lo come,