UNIVERSITY EXTENSION LECTURES.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 3559, 7 May 1901, Page 3

UNIVERSITY EXTENSION LECTURES.

The adjourned meeting,.of tfiose interesteid in the introduction- pf, Umv.ers.ity .. extension lectunes at Tinjasu was held .in the:Council Chambers yesterday. There were ■ present—Ven. Archdeacon. Harper (in the chair)," Rev:- Messrs R. Jackson and* J: N. (Buttle, Messrs ,J, G..,£}o,w> .A- Bell, J. A. Johnson, J. A. 'Valentine, G. Simmers, J. C. Oddie, and Misses-Watt and " Mulliolland. •.. Mr Simmers 1 apologised for ; Messrs Wood'aid Mayne V ' , Mr T. Hughes, a' niember .pf' the; suK-. committee appointed' by the Canterbury College Board, Christchurch, in connection j witji the University'.-extension' moveinentj-1 | in attendance, the request-'of j the! chairman gave some information as j to the steps to be taken .'in-Timaru., . -.,,.. ] !■ Mr Hughes congratulated the meeting on I Lthef spirit they had shown in connection with University extension<:lectures;!~v;'He; was in-a somewhat peculiar position, him-, self, as he had- thoughbthat.Dr-Morley, who was the recognised secretary 'of the committee, was. coming ■down, to Timaru,, but! he would give them a short gietteral sketch, of what was intended by the es."tension, and' at the conclusion answer any First as to the. reasojis for the movement. It. was well; inowni that there was Httle inclination among their young, ppople to take a. serious courae : of study. It/ was the of the extension committee to offer to give a series of lectures. to remedy that. The, -movement attempted had been, working for some years in various parts of the Empire and the colonies. It was. commenced in 1873 by Cambridge University, aiid that experiment>._was : followed by others, till; there were about 42,000 students. In the United States and other places they had been attended by success. The Canterbury College, was, not the, only one- inNew Zealand, as the Victoria College was attempting something of the same character in Wellington. The-real difficulty with them was that'of . finance. With regard to the objects of the movement, one was to supply a felt want in the education of our young people, and the lectures will be directed in the interests, not of matriculated, but chiefly non-matriculated students, and for people who believed that sound knowledge would be beneficial to them and the community. These were the lines on which the lectures were generally run. Shortly, it was an attempt to bring the University to those who could not go to the University. The method to be followed would be—the delivery of a lecture, followed by discussions and questions, and papers at the end of the week, and some kind of examination. These would not. be for a diploma, but would be a kind of guarantee that there was some attempt to study by the student. Thus in New Zealand they liked to have subjects suitable to each district. This would be left to the local committee. One of the difficulties in the way was to find suitable. lecturers. A lecturer, thoiigh he might be a very capable man, unless he could make his subject interesting and attract people, might be a cause of failure. Available and. capable lecturers were not numerous, and another trouble was that with the sparse population in the district the fees charged might be considered high. It would be for the local committee to select the lecturers they thought fit. The Canterbury College invited applications for the position of lecturers, and they would supply a course of twelve or one of six lectures. Sixteen applications for lecture

ships: had been received up tQ the present time. Supposing Timaru were to attempt to introduce the lectures, two or three of the College Professors would probably attend the inaugural meetings, and it was thought that these might attract some and direct attention to the movement. After

this the local committee would have the sixteen names' sent to them with the lecturers available. They would perhaps choose two courses of lectures. Lectures on economics might be considered suitable ones. All arrangements were to be left to the local committee, they having to find room, fire, etc., and the officers would be asked to guarantee £4O for a course of twelve lectures, and £2l for a course of six. Canterbury College had set aside £IOO, not as a subsidy, but for the purpose of establishing the lectures. The secretary, Dr Morley, would probably come down and give the information necessary. The local committees would guarantee expenses and make arrangements, and textbooks and a travelling library suitable for the courses would be required. In a country like our own, where the suffrage was universal, the better educated the mass of the people were the better for the good government of the country and the general prosperity of the colony. He had been speaking- to Mr Woodthorpe, one of the lecturers', in Ashburton, who was acquainted with the movement in the -colonies, and he agreed generally with the principles laid down, except with regard to the fees. He (the speaker) did not know whether £4O could be raised in Ashburton, but he 'hoped that something of the kind could be done in Timairu. It had been 'suggested to him that | a local centre might finance the matter by gathering subscriptions from students and attending their lectures at a fixed cost. The Council would meet them as far as they could. Mr Hughes concluded amidst applause, and the chairman invited questions. In ' reply to, Mr Valentine, Mr- Hughes ■said that the examinations held after the lectures would. have no academical recognition; the object -was more to guarantee that there was serious study. The subjects for the lectures .would be made as utilitarian as possible. The examination's "would be -optional; statistics at Home showed that • there was a growing. desire on the part of student® to be examined.

Mr Johnson asked whether Canterbury College was prepared to step in in case of a loss. They had spent nothing in the local centre to further the movement. —Mr Hughes said that it was part of the machinery, where the extension was made, for the local centres to be self-supporting. The grant of £IOO was not as a subsidy. Mr Johnson said they had laid down the fee to the lecturer. How would it do to leave that to the local centre?—Mr Hughes said that he would take a note of this, and leave it to the council. There was a strong feeling in the council that they must get the best men, and pay a good fee. (Hear, hear.) The chairman asked for an approximate estimate of the cost of a course of 12 lectures, and a list was compiled, showing £2l as "extras" in addition to the £4O fee.

In reply to Mr Gow, Mr Hughes said that the £IOO was to be expended in making preliminary arrangements for. the lectures, and .. probably for apparatus and travelling library. A list -of! subjects < likely to be dealt with by lecturers was asked for, but Mr Hughes was unable to produce one. The courses would be based on the University lectures.' s ? As each - lecturer- would be a New Zealand graduate they would lecture on New!-Zealand courses. -

. Mr Gow asked for a list of probable lecturers. Mr Hughes said that applications ; had not-closed, and it was not i nfecessary to present a list. A local lecturer would be available if-his course of lectures was such, as to recommend itself. The Rev. Mr Buttle said that the financial basis would have to be a guarantee, fund; - They- would have to charge student members so much, and make a separate charge for .those who came on special nights. • • Mr Hughes suggested that the local institutions might- subsidise the lectures.

The Rev. Mr Jackson said that twelve lectures,Would'.: ; W sufficient to take. People were v apt to get tired.

Mr-Johnson said , that scientific- lectures would bp-, acceptable in Timaru, and a very popular- course with teachers. ' Would the tHigh .Schbol' room be available for such a course? :

i - Mr' Simmers said that the Governors would be only too pleased to 'help on the I matter, but the'lavatoiy was too small, only "accommodating about 18 pupil?. ■ A dispiassion took place as to whether fa v course of lectures' by 'a, professor, could be arranged, free ; of cost, by the Govern-. .ment:;aflbwing pass'to the Jecturer andi any\ajp^atus.; >IV ; faid this} hdd, worked, veryjweli"in Otagp, with: Professor" Bhicki;.but he did not know if, Bickerton 'arrangement. > , It, was-agreed to make enquiries. A' hearty vote qf thanks was passed, to Mr tffugiies for attending and' giving infor-*. mation., .. .... V ' v

■' It wsis resolved that those present form .thenselygs into a , committer ,to, take steps to :ee what support .would [be afforded,, and also seek further information, from Cain.tert ury College. The, Ven. , Harper., _wm. appointed and Mr A. B^li,,'secr^tjaryl,.,:.. 1 "! i The . yepSrfejiof \vhich was' !«&: before .tie. ,set jforth the*! finding i movement H taken r 'up,. spirit energy,; ( the . leading. ,.Araerican ani. CpjitiDental ,^yidehce.}.,was,,, .given of" the i .4Pfl 6 r.' ?<?«?., w!* - 1 committee's ,-.r ( ~ wpfei,' that.] 'steps be taken to initiate' courses of Uiii-;, vetsity extengion,lectaj.rss, in Timaxu, burtofl!.; ] ' agreed, .upon ;:...that the,, necessary?■arrange-,. ments. be, in ..charge., of., a, special. .jpouncil : that effQ^,^^e[.^a3e r^bl •^els^iSJli^ pathy,;;>,tjiat J*e:-ichosep ( and syllabus, of course ..of: lectures to. be given byr them. ,|M T published r „and f ±hat.. .a. : grant of £IOO be, tp movement.