UNIVERSITY EDUCATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19532, 15 July 1925, Page 9

UNIVERSITY EDUCATION.

COMMISSION’S INQUIRY. APPOINTMENT OF PROFESSORS. (Peb United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 14. “The commission should investigate tho methods of appointment of university professors adopted by the governing bodies of the four affiliated colleges to ascertain whether the factors of teaching ability, disciplinary influence, and personality generally are given adequate consideration,” said Mr F. Milner (headmaster of the Waitaki Boys’ High School) in the course of his evidence given before the University Commission to-day. Ho suggested that those appointments should be subjected to determination alter b. term of probation or that sufficient safeguards should be used to ensure success. He continued : “The position of the university professor at the apex of the educational scheme is of unique importance, as his interpretation of his subject exercises a moulding influence on professional men and teachers, and, through the teachers, on the whole educational personnel in New Zealand. There have been far too many instances of inefficient appointments productive of intellectual apathy and slipshod scholarship among students In reply to Sir Harry Reichel, Mr Milner said that ho knew, of professors who had failed in regard to discipline teaching, power and inspirational qualities although they had the academic status that gave them their positions. The authorities should have power of revocation of appointments at tho end of a probationer period. ■Mr Milner also said tho Senate of the New Zealand University should allow pupils of approved secondary schools to sit for the medical intermediate prior to entering the university. English, including English literature, should be made compulsory for the B.A; advanced grade as well as for the B.A. pass. The matriculation examination unduly dominated the secondary school curriculum to its detriment, and approved secondary schools should have the privilege of accrediting pupils under safeguards. Four separate universities were opposed by Mr T. W. Rowe, lecturer of jurisprudence and law at Canterbury College. He said that the degrees of -local universities would carry loss weight than the degrees of an undivided university. To how many people outside of New Zealand, he asked, would “Canterbury University ’ conve'y any meaning whatever? Promising students would benefit if more scholarships were available to deserving third and fourth year students as they would be free froin the necessity for finding employment until they had completed the course for the Bachelor or Master of Art. Tho inadequacy of teaching staffs placed a heavy strain on the teaching staffs at the university colleges. The matriculation examination was too easy. He did not favour accrediting in substitution of the marticulation. In regard to law/ the Canterbury College library was absolutely negligible. Tie fact that the present system was breaking down under its i own weight did not necessitate the establishment of four separate universities was the opinion expressed by /Professor C. F. Salmond, T>rofessor of philosophy at the Canterbury College. He said there were too many students in New Zealand colleges and not a sufficiently high quality of work. Many students, whom university professors were called upon to teach at present, had little or no capacity for thought. Accrediting instead of matriculation probably would increase the present evils. The remedy was a stiffer matriculation, demanding a longer period at a secondary school. Professors in general were overworked. lectures in daytime' only would probably rob the university of many good students, and evening classes probably would always be necessary ■ in New Zealand. That concluded the evidence taken by the commission in Christchurch.

The Dunedin sitting of the University Commission at present taking evidence throughout Now Zealand on university problems will commence at the University at 10 o’clock on Friday morning. The members of tho commission, Sir Harry Reichel and Mr Frank Tate, will arrive from the north on Thursday evening, iho sitting here is expected to last six days.