EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20281, 14 December 1927, Page 14

EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY.

SUGGESTION FOR NEW CHAIR AT UNIVERSITY. Dr Stuart Mooro and Dr E. N. Herrington waited on the University Council yesterday as a, deputation from the Otago Society of Mental Hygiene to urge the appointment of a lecturer on Experimental Psychology at Otago University. Dr Mooro said that the endowment of a lecturer in experimental psychology would have tile following academic results:—(l) Students in Otago would be able to take psychology as a single subject for tho B.Sc., experimental psychology . taking the place of logic or ethics; (2) tho instruction in this subject necessary for the Diploma of Education which was. practically speaking, a post graduate course would be given by an expert trained in the work. (3) Training in this work would be rendered available for: (a) Students of the Training College selected by 1 the principal; (b) medical students or medical men desirous of entering the school medical service or the asylums service; (e) candidates for tho Diploma of Public Health who ought to receive some training in this work. In addition, the services of such a lecturer would bo available for; (d) the social workers who desire academic training and qualification; (c) medical men who desire to take the proposed Diploma in Psychological Medicine (D.P.M.). The Society of Mental Hygiene was keen to see this appointment made as it was of opinion that there would result from tho training given in the University widespread improvement in mental hygiene work, iu education, medicine, penology, and other social work. There was an expert in this subject in throe other colleges and expert opinion here had already been widely expressed as to tho desirability of such a lectureship in Otago—(hat was, by the Arts Faculty, the Medical Faculty, the Professorial Board, and tho jtago Education Board, and also by National Council of Women, and others. The Otago Society of Mental Hygiene, which hoped to bo a branch of a proposed National Council of Mental Hygiene in New Zealand was prepared to endeavour to raise the monev to endow such a lectureship, and therefore' desired a favourable expression of opinion by the Council of the University of Ot-mo as (o the desirability or the urgency 3 of such a lectureship or chair boiim endowed in ilio University of Otago, Dr Mcrringlon also addressed the connL * After the deputation had retired members expressed themselves as sympathetic with ,h On Pl the°rnotion of Dr Marshall Macdonald, so ended by Mr W J. Morrell, it was resolved to approve of the proposal establish a lectureship in Experimental Psychologv and of the efforts that were being made for that purpose hv the Council of Mental Hygiene.