OTAGO UNIVERSITY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18294, 11 July 1921, Page 2

OTAGO UNIVERSITY

STUDENTS’ JUBILEE DINNER. A HAPPY AND MEMORABLE LATHERING. It was on July 10, 1871, just 50 years ago, that classes at Otago University were first commenced. Some two years earlier the University had been formally established by the enactment of tho “ University of Otago Ordnance.” and it was this jubilee that was celebrated here last February by tho University authorities with impressive ceremonies lasting for a week. These celebrations fell in vacation time, and consequently present students had little part in them. Their opportunity to do honour in their Alma Mater and fittingly to mark tho passage of 50 years’ activity in her class rooms came last Saturday evening, when a students' jubilee dinner was held in tho Art Gallery Hall. Tho idea was taken up with the keenest enthusiasm. The Art Gallery Hall was seated for 475, but considerably more than

that number were present. The dinner at the hall was preceded by a torchlight procession from the University by students in carnival garb. They formed up in double row outside the door of tho hall, and made a pathway for the visitors as they arrived. The hall within was most tastefully and gaily decorated with (he University colours and emblems, and when all were seated it presented a memorable scone of sparkling animation. The babel of happy voices made

it obvious that scores of old friends were finding (lie keenest pleasure in renewing old associations and reviving happy memories of their student days. Tho Carnival Orchestra added to tho liveliness of tho occasion with lively renderings of tunes made familiar by the recent Capping Carnival performances. About an hour was spent over tho dinner itself, excellent service being rendered by a large number of students who volunteered as waiters.

Mr Gilbert Maclean (president of the Students’ Association) presided, and, after the loyal toast had been honoured, announced a number of apologies that had been received. He intimated that tho ladies not only permitted, but commanded, the men to smoko.

Tho toast of “ Tite University of Otago was entrusted to Mr J. 11. Ooombes, who suggested that the toast, should have been “ Otago ’Varsity; Its History and Its Historian.”— (Loud applause.) .Ho said the under-graduates had a passion for reforming things, and there were many things they would like to alter, but they very willingly paid their tribute to the men who laid the foundations of tho University 50 years ago. They were also willing to moke their contribution to the life of the University in a way that would benefit their successors 50 years hence. The toast was enthusiastically drunk and received with tho singing of the “ ’Varsity Anthem,” composed a dozen years ago by Dr Gillies Borrie. . .

The Rev Dr Cameron, on rising to reply, was received by the company rising and singing ‘ For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” ITc said ho acknowledged the toast, not as Chancellor, but as an ex-student, as all who were taking part were. Speaking in lighter vein, he said he wondered what, tho University stood for. Some people thought it was fully represented hy the Capping Carnival at d procession.—(Applause and laughter). Others thought the University was represented by the A football team, which had made such a splendid name in the world of sport.—(Applause), To others the University wos represented by its buildings, and to others again by the degrees they got, or hoped to get. But, the University stood for more than that. More letters did not count for very much. ’1 he professors lormed a. It rge part of the L T niversity, and their function was to enable the students to become men. and womoit of whom tho whole communbv would be proud. He believed the greater part of the University consisted not of the present but of the past students. He thanked- them very heartily for tho wav in which they had honoured the toast. -(Applause.) Mr J. Cairney proposed the toast of “Past .Students,” of whom he said every present student was justly proud. He reierred particularly to tho 81 students who enrolled in tho first year and their immediate successors. —(Applause.)- The present students wore too much inclined to take things lor granted and to overlook the great debt, they owed to tho students of years gone by. They had gone forth into the world and had done their part there and had done it well. In conclusion, he paid a tribute, to the students who had gone forth to the war and there sacrificed their lives. . . .

1 ho first to respond to the toast was Miss Frances J. Ross, of Colombo, College, who raid she did not mind being called an “old’’ student, but she objected to being i referred to as a “past” student. —(Applause and laughter.) She added her tribute to tho immense value of the work of those who founded the Otago 'University. Amongst those they might place first of all the proIcssors, men ot suen zeal, learning, and high moral character that tiu:y had raised tin. University to its high place in the community and in tho national life. Those high traditions were being carried on by Hit present professors. Sue spoke of, the great hospitality enjoyed by tne students at t- - hands of the prolessors and their wives, She do w attention to the immense improvements and extensions made to the equipment ana i work of tho University since her student days, and these extensions were still going on. In spite of all the changes, they knew there must be one animating: -principle uniting the life of the University through all the years, and that was tho search for knowledge and the passion for tho clear j light of truth. She concluded with a j choice peroration in which she said old students handed on the torch to those who | came afier, pleading them to strive, to 1 seek, to find, but never yield. | Mr J. B. Callan also responded to the i toast, and expressed regret that tho Hon. i W. Downie Stewart was not present. He thanked Mr Cairnoy for the kind things lie had said about the past students, but said that if they had interested themselves in j University affairs as they should have done the Court of Convocation would not have ! fallen into the curious Rip Van Winkle sleep from which it had recently been aroused. That was a healthful sign, and he trusted that in future they would do more to deserve the kind things that had been said .about them. lie had had demonstration at the carnival on Thursday even- ; ing that that side oi university life was not being neglected, and ho ventured to sa\- tliat that was a very important side of its lilb. He desired to congratulate the students on their very clever performance. He protested against the motto—“ These are tnoy which came out of great tribulation’' —associated with the toast. “Wo did not come out oi great tribulation,” ho sidd. "We have been in it eter since.”— •(Laughter.) He advised all present students to stay on at the University as long as their parents would stand them failing. —(Applause and laughter.) Mr D. W. Faigan (vice-president of tho Students’ Association), who proposed the toast of 'The leaching Staff,” pleasantly explained that he was suffering from a severe attack of capping throat. _ Ho suggested to professors that a week’s holiday would he acceptable.—(Applause.) Passing on to the subject of tho toast, he said that the history of the University was tho history of its professors. Ihe professors It ad always been there to help in every movement for the welfare of the University. They would continue to keep our University in line with tho foremost universities of tho world. ’I hey were among the leaders ot the community and gave tho University its acknowledged place.—(Applause.) In culling upon Professor G. E. Thompson'to reply, the Chairman expressed their great indebtedness to him for the part he Jv'tl taken in arranging that gathering. Tile professor was greeted with cheers and prolonged applause. lie returned thanks for the kindly and graceful way in which the toast had been proposed. They had heard so much, he said, during the last 18 months of the greatness of the first professors that the present staff had rather’ “got the wind up.” It cl hecn somewhat unkindly suggested that though the professors had in-cre-'sed in number from three to about thirty that the sum total of brains on (lie te-e’iiug staff remained constant. —(Laughter.) If SO, the case of forty lecturers was even worse, for sfl years ago there was not a lecturer in the place.—(Laughter). lie referred to the presence with them of the daughter of Professor Shand, Mrs M’Lean -(Applause)—(ho daughter of Professor M‘Gregor, Mrs <'»x-—(Applause) Miss Ulrich daughter of Professor Ulrich—(Applause)- Mr Stuart Holmes, who, he believed. was the first ■ student enrolled 50 vears ago —-(Applause) —and tho Jinn. Mark Uolien. who was also enrolled in tho first vein-.—-(Applause.) They would find tho prcs'-nt students grouped at the feet of four clashes of teachers, professors, lecturers’ ns--aslant.-, and gas-heaters.—(Laughter.) Tho difference between the lecturer and professor was more apparent than real, ’ihe professor had a billet, and the lecturer had ability.—(Laughter.) Ho was a lecturer himself mire.—(Lmghter.) He proceeded fo draw a witty comparison between certain University degrees and certain brands of liquor and continued to delight the audieoca with a humorous description of various -

types of professor. One characteristic of the traditional professor known to every comic journal was his extraordinary and appalling absence of mind. ' This characteristic tho professor illustrated with a choice selection of stories. Ho said that every professor had a spectre haunting him—the quest ion of whether ho was turning out men who knew their subject and were efficient. Every one of them wanted to know nof only if ho taught his own subject, but if he made his students fit for more wisdom. The professor could not see the result of his own efforts as men in other professions could. He had (o work on hoping he would make the world a better place to live in for his children and the children of his students. — (Applause.) The toast of “Present -Students” was entrusted to Dr W. Marshall Macdonald, who said he considered it the most important toast of tho evening. Referring to the rapid growth of the University, he said it would not be long before the medical students were as numerous as the rabbits of Central Otago.—(Laughter.) The Hon. Mr Parr proposed to deal with tho matter by issuing a ukase to tho mothers of New Zealand saying that they must on no account have more than 45 medical students in any one year. This proposal was quite on a par—(Oh’s!)—with the celebrated attempt ef Mrs Partington to stop the Atlantic. Speaking seriously, he said that tho only place where he had seen any sign of tho new post-war spirit so much talked of was among tho students of tho University. Ho diil not think tho community realised the advantage it possessed in having the various schools of the University here, with the influx every year of 150 of tho picked brains of the dominion. Ho compared the arts faculty to the infantry, which was the backbone of the army. It was a little hard on (he “ Divinity ” that he had to got all his wild oats sown before ho left college—(laughter),—but every Divinity student carried in his kit bag a chancellor’s umbrel a. —(Applause.) Speaking of ’ sex consciousness in the University ho said he did not think the men should allow themselves to bo jealous of their superior mental equipment. —(Laughter.) He believed that the corning age was tho age of youth, and he felt sure that the future of the University was safe in the hands of present students.— (Applause.) The Chairman, responding, said it had been to . the present students very pleasant to hear a little praise of themse.vcs, especially from a member of tho teaching staff. They more frequently heard praise of their predecessors. The students greatly appreciated tho support of ex-students ana professors at the Capping Carnival. Tho present students did appreciate the great school of learning with which they were associated, and did give at times a little thought as to what they might do for the University and for the community.—(Applause.) Miss M. E. Bell (vice-president of tho Students’ Association), who was received With cheers, also returned thanks for the manner in which the toast had been honoured. Women students, she said, had come to stay. Some of them had come to stay too long.—(Laughter.) She referred to a movement on foot to arrange for the supply of meals at the University to women students but said they had not yet got the length of a women’s football club.—(Laughter.) Mr T. B. Davis proposed the toast of “ The Ladies ’’ in a bright and humofous speech, delving into the story of creation and into folk lore for his material. He urged it as a duty on every student to have a sweetheart. —(Applause.) The reply on behalf of the fair sex was made by Professor T. D. Adams. He made happy reference to tho “liberty, equality, and fraternity” between the sexes that hod always prevailed in Otago University, in this respect far in advance of the older universities.

During the evening tho proceedings were most pleasantly varied with songs contributed bv Miss Alice Wilkmson and Messrs J K. Davidson and Mortlov Peake. Hearty thanks were accorded to the orchestra, the (singers. and the student ‘waiters; and a gathering that will live long as n happy memory to everyone present broke up at half-past 11 with the singing of a verso of “Gaudeamus,” “ Auld Lang Syne,” and the National Anthem %