DEBATING CONTEST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23859, 13 July 1939, Page 8

DEBATING CONTEST

UNIVERSITY SOCIETIES CHAMPIONSHIP TO LAW FACULTY EDUCATION SYSTEM DISCUSSED Always one of the highlights of University debating activities, the annual interfaculty debating championship was held in the University canteen 'ast evening. It was unfortunate that the large audience had to wait a full half-hour after the scheduled starting time for the function to commence. No explanation was forthcoming for the delay. The debate was controlled by the University Union Society, the president (Mr J. D. S. More) being in the chair. Six teams competed, two representing the Arts Faculty and one each from the Law Home Science, Science, and Medical Faculty societies. Winners in recent years were:—l93o, Medical, 1931-35, Law 1936. Arts; 193738, Law. Last night’s subject was “That the present system of education in New Zealand fails to equip us for life.” Commenting on the debate, the judge (Mr P. O. Smelliei said that there was a general failure to sift the material put forward. Many speakers had failed by trying to present too much material. Mr Smellie said he had been impressed by the fluency of the speakers, and the fact that notes were not too much ii evidence. He placed the law faculty first, with the speakers in the following order:—Mr Titchener (Arts) 1, Mr Smith (Law) 2, Mr Gibson (Law) 3, Mr Ross (Arts) 4.

Home Science v. Law

Miss Macfarlane (Home Science) declared that the aim o) education must be to teach the child to think, so that the realities of life c'ould be faced and the problems which arose from time to time solved by the process of thinking. She maintained that the present system of education failed to produce a thinking child with individual personality The child should be taught the twentieth century arts and sciences, not merely the arts of past generations. Moreover, It was essential to have a well-developed system of parent education. Mr H. L, Gibson (Law) challenged the desirability of thought to the extent suggested by Miss Macfarlane. Most of the children of the Dominion would be farmers, labourers, or mechanics, who needed technical knowledge rather than intelligence and thinking ability. Miss Kelly (Home Science) vigorously denounced the previous speaker’s ignorance of a farmer’s needs. She stated that the farmer did not require a knowledge of Aristotle or history, but he should be able to think, to reach decisions accurately and quickly, and to face his own problems with the best possible knowledge of the modern sciences. She also stressed the lack of adequate training in hygiene and nutrition. The gateway to education In New Zealand was open to all, according to Mr Smith (Law). He considered that University graduates in New Zealand were well equipped for life of any kind. The present system equipped the child very well for occupying tua leisure time. Science v. Arts Emphasis was placed on the importance of environment and the fuller aspects of education by Miss Batham (Science), who stated that education must have a cultural as well as a technical aspect. Much of what was at present being taught was not of much use for either of these aspects. Mr P. L. Titchener (Arts) suggested that the importance of education was fully realised in the Dominion, and action was being taken. He instanced the development of country libraries, rural domestic courses and the Workers’ Educational Association as evidence in this direction. Mr E. G. Harris (Science) and Mr W J. Roseveare (Arts) both referred to modem developments in educational methods, the latter outlining In some detail the development of specialist schools in engineering and agriculture. There might be some defects, but the general soundness of the system itself was beyond question. Arts II v. Medical The fact that education was nox merely a training but a social duty of wide consequence was stressed by Mr G. McLeod (Arts). Apart from vocational training altogether, there was h lack of knowledge by the average per son as to how best to employ his spare time. The present system was fully 40 years behind the times.

There was a tendency said Mr S. Mirams (Medical) for people to hold the viewpoint that anything must be had if it had been made in New Zealand. That seemed to be as much the case with the critics of the education system as with anything else. Mi Mirams maintained that, while no doubt reforms might oe sometimes desirable, that fact did not in itself prejudice the whole system. The misfit was the chief problem m the educational system, according to Mr H. F. Ross (Arts) who quoted the reports of vocational guidance officers as to people being put to work In an industry for which they were not suited. An educational system which failed to provide for efficient and effective vocational selection and advice, must fail to equip the community for the real problem of life. In other ways, the present system provided only a half-training. Mr D. Simpson (Medical) said he quite agreed that a child should be taught to think, but who would make him think, and how? The child was not interested in thinking, but if he had an adequate knowledge, thinking would follow. A young person could not always wait till he was about 20. and had completed an education, to choose his vocation, nor could he always be allowed to follow his choice. He had to take what was offering.