SELWYN COLLEGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20701, 26 April 1929, Page 2

SELWYN COLLEGE.

ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS.

LAYING OF FOUNDATION STONE,

Yesterday morning Mr T. K. Sidey, Chancellor of Otago University, ij, . e foundation stone of the extensive additions which have been planned in connection with Selwyn College, Castle street, Dunedin. The chair was occupied by Mr Sidey, who was supported by Bishop Richards and Sir James Allen, and there were also present—Mr VV. J. Morrell (Vice-chancellor of Otago Uniyersi'ty), Archdeacon L. G. Whitehead (warden of Selwyn College), Dr E. N. Memngton (master of Knox College), bir H, Lindo Ferguson, Professor J. Dickie, members of the clergy of different denominations, and members of tlie University Council and other bodies, ihe public attended in fair numbers, standing on the street. The Band of the hirst Battalion (Otago Regiment) was present, and contributed appropriate selections at intervals.

REMARKS BY SIR JAMES ALLEN. , James Allen said he. wishe to take that opportunity, on behalf of the Buildmg Committee, to than' all who had subsenbed to the fund. Up to date the sum of £9*oo bad been collected towards the improvement of the college. He thanked especially the Ladies’ Committee, who had done so much to assist the Building Committee_ in the early stages of its work. He wished to appeal tor further subscriptions in order that they might complete, at any rate, the block facing Castle street, and later on there would be put in hand the block which would extend from Castle street to Cumberland street, xae shortage at present was a little under £llOO for the work now in hand, and the shortage on account of the Castle street block was £3BOO. With this sum they could complete the whole of the Castle street block, and leave for future ■ effort the extension towards Cumberland street. They had been able to undertake the contract now in hand through the generosity of Mrs Massey, of Southland (at present in London), who had expressed her willingness to subscribe £2500 to the fund. The money had come to band at an opportune moment, and it was the intention of the committee to Slaoe in the building a memorial to Mrs lassey s two sons_ wno were killed in the great war. A suitable inscription would be prepared and attached to the building when it had been approved by Mrs Massey. The extension of the college was the responsibility of Dunedin, of Otago Jf°. u tkland, end of all interested in the University, because the college would accommodate students who came from all over Aew Zealand. Last year there were in the college 40 students from different parts of New Zealand—22 from the North Island and the remainder from districts in the South Island. Sir James asked 5J S audience to let a moment of their thoughts rest on the late Dean, who had done so much for the college in its early days in teaching, in interest, and in sympathy, and in his closing words he called attention to the value of colleges such as Selwyn, Knox, and others which, by cultural contact .and community life among the students, were sending out better citizens than would -otherwise be possible.—(Applause.) THE BISHOP’S ADDRESS. . Bishop Richards said that the function in which they were engaged was of importance to two very old institutions—the University and the church. The church _ older than the British monarchy itself, and for the origin of their university system they had to look hack to th .e first springs of national life. The middle ages were sometimes spoken of as but this was not correct. In tbe thirteenth century, for example, while q ooo P e°nn lit 1011 England was about 3,000,000, there were 10,000 men in the studium generale at Oxford, and almost as many at Cambridge. These were engaged in the study of medicine, law, philosophy, theology, and of other things; and it was’interesting to note that whenever communications were addressed to the various faculties as a whole, such communications began with the words universitas vestra, which might be rendered roughly _ all of you.” Hence the ■ term universitaq, or university, came to be applied to the institution. In Dunedin, a university city, might not the term bo taken to-mean not simply • al i of l ou ” "all of us?” People in Dunedin were proud of their University, a truly great institution increasing in magnitude, in influence, and in usefulness every year. But in the development of university life here one thing was lacking; the community life, which was * , bringing out the best in intellectual development, which also termed so important a feature in the universities at Home. This was being tully recognised now in Dunedin. True, there was the magnificent institution, Knox College, which had been built and endowed with characteristic Presbyterian thoroughness, and there was Selwyn College, much smaller. These together were wholly inadequate to the needs of the large and increasing.body of students. So, rather more than three years ago a letter, signed by the Chancellor, the Vice-chan--cellor, by University professors, by the Mayor, and by other leading citizens—was sent to the bishop calling upon the church to rebuild Selwyn College, providing proper accommodation for a large number of student s in a building that would be worthy of the University and °f the diurcb. They were not. able to give effect to this at once; a committee, however, was formed, of which, upon his return from England,_ Sir James Allen became a member, and it was owing largely to his generosity and his influence that were in the happy position in which they were to-day. Special mention also must be made of a lady, Mrs Massey,' through whose generous gift of £2500 a special section of the new buildings was taken in hand. This portion would be as a memorial to her two sons who had Mien in the war; hence Selwyn College would be linked with memories of Anzac—memories of sadness, but alsc of victory through sacrifice by which the national me would be for ever enriched. The bishop added that he felt sure the community in Otago and Southland would provide the £4OOO needed to finish the buildings facing Castle street, and later on the additional £12,000 that would enable them to complete the whole block as shown in the architect’s plan. At 11 o.’clock the two minutes' silence was observed, the gathering standing in respectful attitude in unison with other portions of the Empire as a mark of remembrance of the heroes of Gallipoli, after which the reveille was sounded by Sergeant-major E. Hunter. A cylinder, containing a list -of members of the Selwyn Colege Board (their own signatures), prospectus of the college, circular asking tor funds, and the Dunedin newspapers, vas placed in the cavity under the foundation stone by Bishop Richards. THE CHANCELLOR’S SPEECH.

Mr Sidey (chancellor of the University of Otago) said he had to thank those responsible for the, function foi the kind invitation to be present, and especially for the honour of being entrusted with the laying of the foundation stone. He appreciated this ag a compliment to the University, and a recognition of the University s interest in the proceedings. It was over 36 years ago since Selwyn College was founded. It was dedicated on January 25, 1893, by the Right Rev. Samuel Tarrett Nevill, first Bishop of Dunedin, in the presence of the Earl of Glasgow, then Governor of New Zealand. It would not be disputed that'Vhe man who more than anyone else was respoiisible for the existence of the college was the late Right Rev. Dr Nevill.. He was the founder of this institution. At the dedication ceremony he referred to the fact that tihe Diocese of Dunedin was the last of the dioceses founded in New Zealand by the late Bishop Selwyn, and he declared_ that at its inception it wag a diocese in name only, with many necesaitics, but without the means to supply them; that a theological college was one of these necessities, that he had, during the 20 years that had then elapsed since the diocese wa s founded, worked for the establishment of such a college, that it was being founded in spite of the objections of many people who thought it would make _ too great a demand upon the financial resources of the diocese, and that in its establishment he had tried to emulate the almost boundless energy and faith of Bishop Selwyn in founding dioceses in New Zealand and the islands of the sea. and it was in that spirit that he trusted the work would be carried on. “This,” he said, “is the day of small things. It is a commencement.” The college opened with four students. Today they were witnesses that in this in--1 stance, as in many others that might be mentioned in this young country, the day of small things was not to be despised. Selwyn College was primarily intended

for the training of theological students, 1 but not exclusively so, and almost from j its foundation it began to assume the character of a university hostel, and had done so more and more with the lapse of time. During the 36 years of its existence the majority of the students housed had been medical students. For some years during the Great War the college was closed, as most of its students were on war service. The movement which had resulted in the present construction work began in 1925. In that year it became evident that large part of the college buildings was past repair, and the college found itself in the position that it must either curtail its activities or enter upon a considerable rebuilding programme. It was at this stage that a letter was addressed to the college authorities by a number of persons interested in the University of Otago, including the then Mayor of Dunedin, and members ot the governing body and staff of the University, drawing attention to the need of further hostel accommodation, aiid urging that Selwyn College be extended and made more capable of adequately carrying out its function as a residential college for University students. This letter was rightly regarded as an appeal, or challenge, especially' to the Anglican Church and the Anglican section of the community, to make- a worthy addition to Selwyn College for the purpose of extending its usefulness as a University hostel on lines analagous to those of Knox College, for what the Presbyterian secwon of the community was responsible. To further this project a special committee was appointed to appeal to the public tor financial support. This committee had been largely responsible for raising f .. i. ur| ds which had made the present building programme possible, and he felt that it was due to the members of the committee that their names should be 1 mentioned on this occasion. They were: oir James Allen, Sir Lindo Ferguson, Dr U E. Kerens, Messrs F. W. Mitchell, C. W. Rattray, and G. R. Ritchie. The committee has so far succeeded in its efforts as to justify the erection of that portion of the proposed buildings which was now under construction. This would complete the wing fronting Castle street. The estimated cost of this wing was £13,000, of which £9IOO was in hanffi und it was hoped to have the remaining £3BOO by the time the building is finished. .Later, it was contemplated to build another wing at right angles to this one at an estimated cost of £12,000, making a . total cost of £25,000. When all these buildings were completed Selwyn College accommodate 80 students. The bufiding now under construction would not only provide accommodation for 60 students, but it would also provide the dining room, common room, kitchen, lavaand all the expensive plumbing work required for the purposes of the whole block of buildings, accommodating 80 students. The Royal Commission oh University Education, which sat in 1925, laid stress upon the advantage to the students con } mun ßy life of the University hostel; and, in referring to this question trom what might be regarded as the material point of view, the commission said: Experience in Great Britain goes to show -that the hostel should be of a certain size if it is to fulfil its function ■ot educating the student by association with his fellow students. If the accommodation falls much below 50 the right sort of people are hot likely to meet ? ac .h oth. Gr : if it rises Miove, say, 90. it is difficult for the head to keep in personal touch with individuals." Again: “ Hostels should not be occupied by particular classes of students, or exclusively by those entering with the same training or contemplating the same career." The commission further considered that, in order to run the hostel successfully, and so as to pay, it should be partially, at any rate, endowed, so that at least the element ot rent should be eliminated from the working expenses. With its buildings erected free of debt, it would be seen that beiwyn College could comply with all these conditions. It was also fortunate in having as its head one who had proved his worth and his peculiar fitness for that office. He referred to the warden, Archdeacon Whitehead.—(Applause.) It was safe to predict that the college was about to enter upon a career of increased service and usefulness. Traditions had already gathered around it, and those would be enhanced as time went on by the atmosphere of the college and the achievements of its students, both when at college and jn after life, -Its past history was not without sources of inspiration, and it already numbered among its past distinguished students a Rhodes scholar and two university profeasors. It would hardly be necessary for him that day to speak of the advantages of a residential college for university students. It was calculated to enlarge their,sympathies and broaden their outlook, to bring to them a_ view of life’s problems from a standpoint other than their own, to give them a greater knowledge of men and of the world, and thus to fit them the better tor public duties and good citizenship. Men of high intellectual attainments had failed from lack of such qualifications. There was, however, a special reason for the establishment of such institutions in this «ty- In Dunedin the number of students who had to live away from home was greater than in any other centre. This was largely due to the presence here of national schools. In addition to those who had to come here to attend these schools, there were students who came to take courses of study which were already provided by the university college -in.- districts from which they came. This was a tribute to the university teachers iii Dunedin and to university hfo and conditions in Dunedin. The fact that they had more students from a distance here than they had in other centres placed a greater obligation upon them than upon the others to provide hostel accommodation. It would not be denied that they had already done more in that respect than had been done elsewhere; but the need for further accommodation was Ikn ur B ent - There were approximately 600 students who had to leave their homes to attend the University of Otago. Of these, about 230 were women and about 370 were men. Of the women students, over 90 were accommodated at St. Margaret’s College, but there was much need for additional hostel accommodation for the students of the Home Science School, which would only accommodate about 50, or less than one-half of its students, in the school hostel. A new and up-to-date hostel was one of the pressing needs of the Home Science School. So far as the male students were concerned, notwithstanding the provision made for them at Knox College, there were fully 250 students for whom no hostel accomodation was available. He was advised that there were at the commencement of the session about twice' as many applicants for entrance to Knox College as there were vacancies, It would thus be realised that the enlargement of Selwyn College would supply an important university need for thL city. It was to an institution such as. this that one might look for the men who would take leading places and positions of influence in the community, and the value of good influences upon such men at 'an impressionable period of their ■ lives was inestimable. This college would supply mental, moral, and spiritual equipment for men of every faculty and of- every denomination. For such reasons as he had mentioned all interested in the University, and all lovers of this city, and, indeed, the .whole' country, would rejoice to see this edifice being reared. He congratulated most heartily the Anglican Church and all those associated with it upon the work now being undertaken. He trusted that all the difficulties in the way of the completion of the whole block of buildings would be speedily overcome. That they would be, and that the college would worthily fulfil its great and noble purpose, there could be no doubt. That this would be so he was’ fully assured, because he knew that those who carried on the work of this college were, and ever would be, inspired by . the spirit which animated its founder and which lie passed on to those who should come after him. It was the spirit before which all difficulties disappeared—the spirit of boundless energy and faith which characterised the great bishop whose name the college bore. — (Applause.) A silver miniature mallet, suitably inscribed, was presented by the contractor (Mr A. E. Silver) to Mr Sidey, who then formally laid the foundation stone. Bishop Richards offered up a prayer, and a hymn was sung by the gathering, led by the band.

Archdeacon Whitehead expressed thanks to the band for its attendance, and to the Chancellor of the Universtiy for the part he had taken in the ceremony. Speaking of residential colleges, he said their value could not be rver-estimated, and the late Sir John Ross’s gift, together with the inspiration of the late Dr Cameron, was one of the most magnificent things ever done in the history of the country.— (Applause.) The National Anthem was sung, and the proceedings closed.