UNIVERSITY CLASSES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3102, 27 August 1913, Page 4

UNIVERSITY CLASSES.

FOR WHOM ARE THEY INTENDED?

TRAINING OF TEACHERS).

A brief discussion took place in the University Council on the 19th on the hours at wiiion classes should be hold, a question that raised the whole important problem of which class of student the University should best of all cater for. The discussion arcse from the fact that the chairman of the Professorial Board forwarded to the council a report on the request of the principal of the Training College that classes bo held at the University alter 7 p.m.. A similar request had come from the 'lechnioal School. The committee set up by the Professorial Board, having met members of the Technical School Association, strongly recommended that Training College students proceeding to a University degree should attend university classes for three years. The recent action of the Education Department in granting a refund of fees up to £2O a year to practically all students of more than average ability threw the University open to a large number of students, and this greatly reduced the class for which the Technical School wished now to provide instruction. If, in spite of the operation of these two conditions, there still continued to be a demand for higher instruction in tho evening, the committee would recommend that lecturers or assistants to the University professors should bo appointed in certain subjects. These should be men of high attainments, capable of giving theoretical and practical instruction in their subjects up to degree standard. In addition to their duties in connection with tho chairs to which they would be attached they would conduct evening classes in their special subjects, and the length of such courses would bo proscribed by the University. Tho committee, however, regretted that at present the University finances would not allow of such appointments. Tho committee "considered it inadvisable to alter the hours of the existing day classes so as to suit the small number of Technical School students who might thereby be enabled to attend.

The Chancellor (the Rev. A. Cameron) pointed out that this raised the very important question of whether they wore going to seek to make the main part of the teaching of the University suitable for those who were giving all their time to it. If they had their classes at night when were the students to study? Dr Shand said that the classes could bo hold in tlie evening. That had been done here 20 years ago, but it was abolished by an express order of the council. It had been found to be detrimental to the Interests of the students who were giving their whole time to the work. The feeling of the Professorial Board on the matter was that: the first step that should be made was in the direction of persuading the Education Department in Wellington to adopt more liberal measures for the training and education of school teachers. That was the difficulty. The arrangements were most inadequate, only allowing the students to attend two years at the University, and during those two years they had to put m a certain number of hours daily at practical work. If the council gave way on this it would weaken the position of the Professorial Board before the department when it was trying to get it to make more liberal arrangements. The Hon. T. Fergus said ho did not think the Education Board had expressed any opinion on the subject at all so far. Professor Hcwitson said the ideal seemed to him to be to work towards day classes. All medical students had to find time during the day, and so had all divinity students. It seemed fair that students of teaching also should bo placed in the same position. That was to exa't the importance of training for the teacher.

The Hon. I'. Fergus said it was the duty of tho Education Board, with such an expression of opinion as Dr Shand’s at its command, to make representations as firmly as possible to the department at Wellington, and get it to remove tho obstacles and difficulties.

Mr W. Eudey said the department would answer that the Training College students were not tied down to two years at the University.

The Chancellor aeked if it was fair to the Training College students to work them all clay in the school and then ask them to take classes at night and do their preparation n« well. —(Assent from members.) Mr G. C. Israel: The Board of Education should bo godded by its expert in the matter, who is Mr Finder, of the Training College. The Chancellor: You can look it up for yourself, Mr Israel. Is it fair? Quite a number of your students have had to withdraw already this year on account of health. It was eventually agreed to receive the report, and forward it to the Education Board.