“HIGHER EDUCATION”

Taranaki Daily News, 19 January 1935, Page 7

“HIGHER EDUCATION”

SUMMER SCHOOL ON MT. EGMONT.

TEACHERS ENJOY INFORMALITY.

Yesterday 130 members and lecturers of the teachers’ summer school conducted a series of “exhaustion tests” of varying severity at high altitudes on Mount Egmont and, judging by the smiles on sunburned faces late in the afternoon when five large buses and a procession of service and private cars had returned to New Plymouth, enjoyed the experiment thoroughly. Of a graduation class of 29, only two failed in the final, the problem that concerned 500 feet of scoria at an angle of 50 degrees detecting weak physiques infallibly. The main contingent left the Boys’ High School at 9 o’clock, having been preceded at 6 o’clock by an advanceguard of climbers led by Messrs. L. M. Stephenson and V. Hellyar, whose party made the summit ascent from the hostel in the excellent time of three hours. The last party had arrived in the crater an hour and three-quarters later. Conditions for the excursion could not have been more pleasant. Slight cloud gave a pleasing variety of sky scenery for those who made expeditions to the upper slopes, but visibility was generally good. A pronounced breeze tempered the heat of spells of brilliant sunshine. The main body of excursionists went on short walking trips on the bush tracks about the hostel, and a large party went beyond the moss line as far as Humphries Castle. Many had never previously visited Mount Egmont and were greatly impressed by the beauty of the reserve, the botanists of the party displaying keen interest in the bewildering variety of trees and plants Observable from the tracks. Many of the species have now become extremely rare elsewhere in the North Island. The old house was used as a base at which the larger party assembled for a picnic luncheon and afternoon tea. Mr. W. H. Skinner briefly related the varied history of the building through the years of the last century. Careful organisation of transport and other arrangements by the school’s officials added greatly to the pleasure of the first “unofficial” day the school has had this session. There was no formal programme of activities.