DOMESTIC SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15552, 6 September 1912, Page 7

DOMESTIC SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY.

THE COUItSES AiN'D TUB FKES. Despite tho publicity which _ has been given to llio courses ol inslruclion in tho Domestio Science branch of Iho work of lio Utago University, and despite tho public iiilorosl which tho establishment of tho classes excited, a good dcid of misapprehension still exists, it seems, concerning tho character aiid «copo of tho courses and concorning tho fees that are payable. It is sometimes asserted, for example, that tho homo jcienco course at Otago University is •• vorv dillicult and expensive." This, howover,"is entirely a mistaken notion, us will appear from statements mado to a member of the stall of this paper by Professor Boys Smith u|>ou her attention being directed to tho matter.

"In tho first place;" said Professor Boys Smith, ''wo have two quite distinct courses at tho University, the courso for the degree awarded by tho Uiiivorsily of Now Zealand nix) that for tho diploma awarded by Otago University, and students working for tho latter can cithor take tho ' diploma with distinction' or merely work for a 'pass' diploma. Thus wb havo Ihreo distinct grades of difficulty, and 1 think few peoplo realise, tin's, or even that wo have a diploma courso at all. The ' diploma with distinction-' and tho 'paw' diploma tan cither of thorn bo obtained after only two winters work and that of ono summer session; but tho work for a pass diploma may be spread over three years, which makes it etill easier.' . , What is required of a student in onicr that sho may qualify for theso diplomas. "The standard of a pass diploma is sue" that any girl of 19 or 20 of quite avorago ability, who has had, a reasonoblo school education, can gain it Willi tho greatest case, and H has bcen plarmed so as to form a fitting conclusion to such girl's ordinary school oducalion. Tho .work includes good practical courses in cookery, housewifery, needlework, and laundry work, W.dce elementary courses in chemistry and .physics, and tho 'application of these (especially tho former) to cookery, to tlio cleaning of cooking utenisils, woodwork, paint, glass, and metals, and to the methods of laundrvwork. A very thorough courso of physiology and hygiene, loading to a sound kuowledgc of dietetics and including infant feeding and rearing, is also given, and ite valuo is brought out by tho way in wluch it correlates with the applied chemistry taken by tho fitments in their second year. Students also take short courses in. business attains and household economics; tho latter being ranccialiy helpful in tho wido outlook it gives with regard to women's work in tho homo, and tho supremo need for their becoming efficient in every branch of their special work. And tho foes'' ~ , , " Tho total fees for tho pass diploma only amount to £11 lis for each of tho two winter sessions, and aro not increased by spreading tho work ovor thrco years. I think no reasonable person can consider those foes 'high' when they realise the immense- advantages it gives to a girl throughout her life." Tlion, as to tho olher diploma-tho "diploma with distinction?" "Tho work for tho 'diploma with disj tinotion' lies midway between tho 'puss' diploma and tho degree in difficulty. Tho standard required in tho domestic arts is suoh as ovcry woman ought to possess who protends to any degree of proficiency, whilo those who have received an adequalo education at school will not find tlio courso in English or in household economics anythingl but extremely interesting. Neither aro tho ecienco courses too advanced, and they aro essential to_ Uio student in ordor to put her in a jiojition to copo adequately with her work in tho homo and life. Tho fees for tho' 'diploma with distinction' amount to £5 5s moro than thoso for tho 'pass' diploma." Tho degree courso is necessarily moro difficult?

" Tim degroo course involves throo years' irork, and it would, of course, bo unfair to oxpect tlio Stalo to gnuit a degrco in homo Ecionoo for a lower standard of itcjiiovctnbnt than that demanded for an arts or a Bcionco degroo. Tho standard must ho tho eaino (or as nearly as possible tho nunc), and only thoso who aro fitted to tnko such a degrco ought to work for it; but it is ccrlauily not a difficult or unduly heavy course, if tho previous school education hjw led up to it. Tlio cost averages out to £15 15a lor oneh o[ tlio thrco years, which covers collegp and laboratory fees; but ovon this will, wo hop*, be somewhat nviuood in a short time, when tho heavy initial CTrMMisoR nro over." I'rofcssor Hoy Smith was asked—a inallor ttbolit .which tlio l>"l>lio_ is curioiiswhut mewuiro of imp|iort is hciiiß given to tlio classes.

"'At'present," «ho 'replied, "wo have .'hrco BliiilenU working for tho degrco and nino students working for the diploma (of wlwm at least two hopo to gain tlio 'diploma with distinction'), and 19 others aro taking ono.or moro courses, cithor on Iho imiolical sido (tlio doinoslio arts) or on the theoretical or fmicntifio nido. Anyono can tnko a singlo courso who las not time for more. A fow ■ nro. Inking groups of classes which correlate with nno another. Hut wo waul flillmoro blikloiiU—girls who aro capablo of wido interests in lifo, and who wish to do tiomothuig worth doing with their lives." t _ t An important, interesting, and encouraging, pieeo of information supplemented this statement.

"Only lliw week." Professor Boys Smith sa,id, ''I havo l>een asked lo supply students for two important pieces of work commanding good salaries, mid have no ono yet ready to fill tho positions."