THE RHODES SCHOLARS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15100, 24 March 1911, Page 6

THE RHODES SCHOLARS

ARE THEY TOO OLD ?

TfUJSTEES ON THE NEW ZEALAND

CONTROVERSY,

iFnoai Our Own Coueespondent.)

LONDON, February 10. I placed before the authorities of the Rhocks Scholarship Trust here the qucßtioiui raised in New Zealand with regard to the lines upon which the Rh:dos scho.ais from the Dominion are selected, and have been given by Dr G. It. Parian, C.M.G., the oigarrising representative ofthetruit, a. full aid comprehensive statement of'the views he.d by the truekes. Dγ I'aKin, as is weil known, lias the mest complete acquaintance with the educational sys'o.r.s of the Empire, having twice vis.t.d each of the dominions in the course of his organising duties. <

It will be TeraemboTed that Professor Haslam, of Canterbury Col:ege, in an interview with a, representative of t;.o Press, remarked :—"We are <.n the wrong tack in the selection of our Rhodes scholars in New Zealand. We are tending much older men than the founder ever meant to be considered. The men seJocled have been 22 or 23 years of age —just the age when they get no good out of their- univereity association in the Old Country. They arc not young enough to associate with the undeniaduate, iwr old enough to ' conio down' and be jolly with him. Aβ a proof of that the trustees themselves have been complaining and expressing a desire to have younger men sent."

On this"point Dr Parkin, who had carefully studied tho discussion, said :—" No question in connection with the scholarships has been discussed more fully at the conferences which I have held in many parts of the world than that of age, nor has any been more carefully considered by the trustees. When I was first making arrangements with the Oxford colleges to receive our scholars this question was brought forward there. Heads ot colleges and others pointed out to me that when they had to discipline ordinary English undergraduates by nistication, expulsion, or any other mear.s, they could always here consult with the father, mother, or guardian of a student at short notice. They could not do this with men who come from the en.ds of the earth. They asked if we should not ■send an older type of man, and one more accustomed tu stand on his fest and feel the full senso of responsibility, seeing that he is to be entirely away irom his home base for three years, with freedom to travel on tho Continent and eLsewheie :ls he likes during the long vacations. This wais the Oxford point of view. " Looked at from our point of view, there were other considerations. Mr Rhodes evidently expected his ■ scholars as a rule to go back to be men of weighij and influence in their own countries. vVc had to ask ourselves if a man would not, be greatly handicapped in doing this if he had never had any touch with the university life of his own country, or formed those university associations which usually so much influence a man's career. There was a very general agreement among those whom I consulted in all the colonies that he would be so handicapped. Moreover, Mr Rhodes expressed a hope that his scholars, in becoming acquainted with England, would not lose sympathy with their own country. It was generally felt that a boy fresh from school would be more likely to do this than one who had got-more thoroughly into touch with the life of his country at a college or university. The spirit of his own land would also be better represented at Oxford by a man somewhat more advanced. One other argument was constantly pressed, and had weight in fixing the higher limit of age at which committees were allowed, but not directed, to select. The strong man in new countries very often begins to gel his education preparatory to the university later than the English-trained public school boy. He is perhaps 16 or 17 before he becomes conscious of intellectual power, and has to make up for the lost time later. It seemed a mistake to exclude such men.

On those and other grounds the trustees decided that the lower limit of age should be 19, the higher 25. Between these two points committees of selection are left perfectly free to appoint as they please, provided the candidates have had a certain range of university life. After eight years' experience, I doubt a good deal if the trustees would interfere with this freedom of appointment, although they are always willing to listen to carefully thought-out suggestions. " There have been occasional instances where the older type of man seems to have some difficulty in adapting himself readily to the undergraduate life of Oxford. On the other hand, there have also been difficulties evidently arising from the youth and inexperience of scholars. Committees of selection must decide from the personality of candidates which risk is the greater. I found in New Zealand an opinion that the value of university life there is diminished by Lhe lack of a good residential system, which sometimes made parents unwilling to send forward their boys from school to the university colleges. This is a lack which can, and I hope will be remedied. Meanwhile, public opinion in New Zealand itself, if it is very decided, should be brought to bear upon the Committee of Selection, which has the wide field of choice so far as age is concerned to which I have referred.

"I have asked my colleague, Mr Wylie, who keeps a zealous watch ove: the working of the system, and the individual scholars a.t Oxford, to give mo his opinion upon tho question that has been raised. You can have it in his own words. After mentioning each scholar that New Zealand has sent, individually, and giving f.n estimate of hie character a.nd success, which L may say is in practically every case very appreciative, lie adds:—"On the question of ago I should certainly say, from my experience during the lart seven years, (hut so long as the committees, in selecting the scholar, have iii mind the conditions here, there is no great -danger in appointing men over 21. It must bo true, of couise, that a. man of under 21 will find himself nearer in age to the average undergraduate who comes up with him. Oil the other hand, it seems to me clear that if he has a. fair measure of the qualities which it is hoped that U.hcdcs scholars will have, he will be able to get more out of this place, and even to contribiits more to it of teal value than if he Jβ yoimgor. " l<iirthar, both irom the paint of view of health, and from the point of view of moral stability, 1 think that a man of, say. 22 wrailtl in most cases stind tho transplantation better tham a boy coining straight from school. On the whole, 1 think the older scholars have provided our best fiper.hne-iis.

" I should not for one moment say that there might not be fellows of 19 who would come here with profit; but I do certainly think that, on the average, the older age will be sounder. Certainly, there is little to objett to in the succession of scholars whom New Zealand hr.s sent us from 1904-1909. They have been among the best esnt us by any one State or province." Referring to the Now Zealand regulations, I)v Parkin pointed out that the only restriction in regard to age was that the scholar should not be less than 19 or more than 25 years of age. They must ba uiKlcrnraditiites of tlio University of New Zealand, but not necessarily graduates. The trustees stipulate that regard shall l>o paid to: II) The candidate's literal , )' and scholastic attainments; (2) his fondness for and success in manly out. door sports, such as thicket, football, and the, like;. (3) his qualities of manhood, truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the -weak, kindliness. unselfishnos, and fellowship: (4) his exhibition during school days of moral force of character and of instinct;; to lead and to take an. interest in his school mates.

QiiffilioTicd specifically on the position of the "swat." T)r Parkin said: " Wlwt the Rhodes Trustees want is a man of power, or promise of power. Wihcn I was asked in America what kind of student should , bo selected I told thorn that if they would exercise their judgment and send us tho man from each State who had a Mm the greatest promise of

being President of the United Stake, Chief Justice of the Supremo Court, or American Ambassador in Britain we here would, ha parfectly satisfied. I think the same remark would apply, mutatis mutandis, to every place from' which .we get scholars."'