Sydney's Crowded University

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 February 1949, Page 4

Sydney's Crowded University

The overcrowding of the Sydney University was commented upon by the Rev. Dr. Babbage, Dean of Sydney, yesterday. The dean is visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. G. S. Babbage, St. John’s Hill, Wanganui. In an interview with the “Chronicle,” he said that included in the record number of students were many ex-servicemen.

“The crux of the position is that the Government gives a subsidy to the university, which is forced to take all servicemen who have applied for university training, and if an ex-serviceman fails at the end of the academic year he is allowed to sit a -further examination in three months,” said Dr. Babbage. “He cannot be failed outright. As a consequence, the university is packed to capacity, with an enrollment of 10,000 students. Some of the lecturers are required to lecture to audiences □f between 600 and 700 at a time “This iniquitous mass production method is a travesty of traditional university education. It is particularly serious in technical subjects like medicine, where personal tuition is essential.

“A valuable social experiment has been begun at Mildura, where a wartime aerodrome has been converted to a temporary university settlement. There are full residential facilities for students, and faculties have been transferred to Mildura. Hangars have been converted into lecture halls and there is a splendid esperit de corps in the settlement It has proved a remarkable success.”