STUDENT LIFE

Southland Times, Issue 18809, 30 April 1920, Page 7

STUDENT LIFE

IN AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES,

INSTITUTIONS OF GREAT WEALTH. ADDRESS BY DR STOKES. OF YALE. An interesting description of life in American universities was given at Victoria College last week by the Rev. A. P. Stokes, D.D, secretary of Yale University. There was a small audience of students and members of the council and facu|y, including the Chancellor of the Senate (Sir Robert Stout). Dr Stokes, who was briefly introduced by Professor Sommerville, explained how he happened to be in New Zealand. It was customary in American universities to allow members of the university staff a year’s vacation in seven on half-pay, and this year he was spedning a part of it in New Zealand, which had impressed him deeply with its beauty of scenery. There were three types of university in America. First, there were the State universities, for exj ample the Universities of California and Wisconsin. The State supported its university financially with grants from £200,000 to £400,000. Then there were the privatelyendowed universities, such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, John Hopkins, Cornell, Pennyslvania, and many others. Some of these, such as Yale and Harvard, were over 200 years old. Lastly, there were denominational colleges connected with religious bodies, such as Amherst. There was a distinction between colleges and universities. Colleges gave undergraduate training and universities post-graduate and professional education. In general, the Federal Government had no educational institution under its particular charge, but there were influences making for uniformity of qualifications and standards. One of these was the Medical Association, which had laid down certain requirements for medical degrees. There was also the American Engineering Association and the American Bar Association, dealing with their different vocations.

Dr Stokes then outlined the organisation and administration of American universities, emphasising the importance of the Boards of Trustees, which had the duty of the selection of the presidents of the university. The president of an American university was a conspicuous personage in American life —a leader in citizenship. Instances were quoted, as President Wilson and Dr Charles Eliot. In the larger universities there were numerous schools with their deans and faculties of professors. It was noteworthy that the American professor was becoming more and more interested in public life and citizenship. The student body was co-educational in the State universities, but there were also separate colleges for undergraduate work for women, such as Vassar and Brynmaur. As for funds, he would mention that Yale University had £5,000,000 invested in endowments, and then there were various fees from students. Approximately one-third of the students one year at Yale had earned about £IO,OOO bv work which did not interfere with their itudies —from newspaper work to waiting ■ft table. It was found desirable that men should devote the better part of the day to scholastic work. As for libraries, Yale and Harvard had over a million books apiece, and several universities had over a quarter of a million. The American University had inherited two traditions, one from Oxford and Cambridge with three or four years of community life, and the other from the German universities of profound research and study. Then universities had their museums, their laboratories

for scientific research. He was rather sur- i prised to hear there was not so much public I interest in science in Wellington. The cur- i riculum in American universities was dircc- | ted in its last years to vocational training, i The State universities carried on a great ! deal of^,outside work in extension. Uni- 1 versifies specialised as, for example, liar- i vard in law, and Johns Hopkins for medi- j cine, Colombia and Chicago for teaching, | lowa for agriculture. ]

Student life was much the same all over the world, but he might mention the special feature of college journalism and college athletics. The Harvard-Yaie football match was the greatest sporting event in America of the year. Interest in sport was becoming more general through the influence of men from England. There was a great deal of interest also in debating, especially since the wax. Social Kfe was full of variety. A feature of the American university was the way it kept in touch with its graduates and alumni. There were class dinners, the men of each year meeting together once or twice a year for dinner. The alumni were of vital help to the university. At the same time he must admit there were defects, such as the devotion of too much time to extra curriculum work, and the following of German tradition in post-graduate work too much, with the result in some dry treatise us themes. Still the student life was vigorous and alumnar life active to a degree.

A very hearty vote of thanks was moved by Sir Robert Stout, who expressed the hope that they might be able to organise a higher university life in New Zealand. He had always advocated following the methods of American universities rather than those of the English. The motion was carried with applause.