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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2066, 18 August 1875, Page 2

In accordance with a request from the Chancellor, H. J. Tancred, Esq., the New Zealand Gazette of August sth publishes the results of the last New Zealand University examination, giving not only a

detailed list of candidates for a " pass " as well as for scholarships, but also the several subjects in which each offered hiuiself for examination and the place assigned to him as the result of that examination. Opposite the name of each candidate is the "remark" made whether he has passed or failed, but we think it would have been much more beneficial to the future success of those who have failed if mention had been made of the particular subject in which failure resulted, as it would serve as a guide for future examinations Looking, however, at the table of results, as set before us in the pages of the Gazette, there seems something very unsatisfactory either in the candidates for distinction at the hands of the New Zealand University, or in the working of the examinations of the University itself. Perhaps we shall be better understood if we briefly set forward an abstract of Mr Taricred's statistics. There are-four tables given, two being for the names of those who aim at distinction as scholars either of.the first .or second year, and two for -those who cither jfrom being above tho age at which' they are allowed to compete for scholarships, or from want of early education are obliged to content themselves with a "pass." We may mention here, however, that the same papers, were" set for .both classes of candidates; a mode of proceeding either unfair or injudicious, if not both. Unfair if the passmen were required to come up to the standard demandedfor a scholarship, and extremely injudicious if the scholarship examination ' was reduced to the level of the pass certificate. To take the scholarships first. Twenty-eight candidates presented themselves for competition for first year i scholarships, and the very liberal number of eighteen was awarded, which wouldhave been increased no doubt to nineteen had Mr A. JR. Atkinson of Nelson College been old enough to have held the one he gained. It may here be noticed that everyone of those who " passed " in the examination for first year students and attempted to gain a scholarship was successful, which rather inclines us to the belief that the so called scholarships were nothing more than mere rewards to the successful passmen. Passing on to the examination of second year scholars we find that out of seven who had obtained them in the previous year no less than six were obliged to forfeit them through not obtaining the minimum number of marks required by the University to eusuro their tenure. Talcing these two facts together, viz,, the great number of scholarships offered to first year students, and those not members of the University to induce them to matriculate, and the surprisingly large number who are unable to retain their scholarships after having held them a year, we are driven to the conclusion either that the authorities of the University are anxious, by this superabundant offer of scholarships, to induce as many as possible to enter as r students, and then by raising the standard required for the second year to keep them aa long as possible iti statu pupillary or else that the examination for scholars of the first year is absurdly easy, and that of the second unnecessarily hard. In fact these scholarships of the second year seem to go as far as they may to upset Pope's theory about a little knowledge being a dangerous thing, for Mr Solomon, of Otago University, alone retains his scholarship, and he takes in the whole of the subjects allowed to be offered, no less than eight in number, with some of which his knowledge must be necessarily imperfect when; we see him figuring at the bottom of the list both in classics and mathematics;. However, he manages, on the system of here a little and there a little to scrape together sufficient to enable him to retain his scholarship, while Mr Barnicoat of Nelson who is head of both the classical and mathematical list, and fairly placed in three other subjects fell short of the requisite 2000 by 186! Surely this system, which would appear designed to make a young man jack of all trades but master of none, requires rectifying. Surely it is better to learn— or be induced to learn—some one or two subjects thoroughly well, than attempt a superficial knowledge of eight or nine. Not only is the system bad, but it is positively unfair. Take for instance the case of Mr Barnicoat, a classical or mathematical scholar, perhaps both, of the previous year ; he. is required to get 2000 marks to enable him to retain his scholarship. Well, if he gets every single mark allowed for these subjects he only just succeeds ; while if he fails even by one mark (and whoever heard of a candidate getting i full marks where 2000 was the maximum ? j witness the Indian Civil Service Examinations) he must fail, and failure in any subject where success has been once i obtained necessarily implies, however unjustly, a certain amount of disgrace. "Clearly, then, if a man be awarded a scholarship for excellence in any one branch of knowledge, he ought at least to be allowed a fair chance of retaining it, and success not reduced to a matter of extreme improbability —that we say not j impossibility. The examiners require half the maximum number of marks 1 before they allow the scholarship to be retained. This, of course, is all very fair if a candidate were required to obtain these only in the subjects for which he had been awarded a scholarship, and no one could complain, except, that the number required might be too low. But when a candidate is required to obtain half the number of marks allowed for almost every conceivable subject which may be taken in at an examination, then he has just cause of complaint that success is placed cruelly far out of his reach. Nor is this plan wise for the University itself —if these scholarships are designed to encourage sound learning— for either men will throw up their scholarships in disgust at success being denied them if they persevere in the branches of study for which they have most inclination, or seek to attain the required half number of marks by a system of

cramming, conducive to acquiring a smattering of many branches, but utterly subversive of all real knowledge whatever. Po much for these scholarships. We reserve what we have to say regarding passmen, oivJWther the would be passmen, for a future occasion.