MR STOUT ON HIGHER EDUCATION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 4956, 6 January 1883, Page 3

MR STOUT ON HIGHER EDUCATION.

The following speech on the subject of higher education was delivered by Mr Stout on the occasion of the banquet to Sir Julius Yogel in Dunedin : — "Mr R. Stout, bavins! referred to the different political parties, said : There has been this peculiarity about the politicians of New Zealand, that however they may have differed on some great political questions that have come before the colony for decision, there was one question upon which I may say the politicians of all parts agreed, *and that was the education question. (Hear, hear.) They did not fail to recognise that by the State there must be some efforts made to establish in our midst schools of culture ; The principle of State interference, no doubt, was recognised — first beginning with common schools, then with the higher schools, and ending with the universities. And I may say this, that that is always the history of State interference. The things that are most required, of course the eyes of the people are always turned to, and consequently we see that the Government begins to attend to them first. Our City Council, as Mr Cargill has ably pointed out, began to make roads first ; it was long before the Council introduced gas and water ; and it was just because drainage was not of so much consequence that it was left to the last. The history of our educational struggle in this colony I have not time to enter upon, nor do I intend to do more than give an expression to one or two thoughts upon the question of higher education. Let me say this, that I think it is one of the greatest mistakes to suppose that in a democracy, such as we are, we do not require the higher education. (Applause). It seems to me that a democracy requires higher education more than any other form of government. Happily for us, we have no aristocracy, and I hope it will be a long time before we have any. (Loud applause.) On what, then, is this democracy to rely ? 1 say that if we are going to live as a nation having any ideal or high aims, it i» wholly^ to the higher education we must look for guidance. In a monarchy they have perhaps an hereditary nobility — a nobility with the recollection of the great deeds of their ancestors ; they have men of immense wealth — men who require no help from the State in giving their children the highest possible education ; but what is to happen to us with reference to the higher education if the State does not interfere ? And so soon as we get in a democracy two states — a rich class and a poor olass— that democracy is doomed to one of two things, either to anarchy or despotism. A democracy can only live where there is social equality, and there can be no' such thing as social equality if you doom a poor man to a poor education, and do not give even the poorest of your citizens a chance of obtaining the highest education within the reach of the richest. (Applause ) One word as to the struggle we see going on in all States. Do not imagine that any Government yet formed has been able to settle just the best form of government or the limits of State interference. We see, so to speak, a pendulum continually swinging. At one time, in one State, we see individualism carried to the highest degree ; and there is another swing of the pendulum, and we see individualism ignored and trodden under foot. I ask what is the key that will enable us to solve this great problem of State inference? I believe it can only be by a fair and critical examination of all Governments we have had in the past, and you can never get that unless you have the higher education diffused, not amongst a few, but amongst the many. And what is 'the object of university education ? It is not only teaching a few students and sending them, out properly equipped for the battle of life, but having university education in our midst you are diffusing the influence of higher education throughout the entire community. Mr Stout referred, as evidence of the influence of our University upon social life, to the fact that a higher class of literature than formerly was now read by subscribers to the Athenaeum. One object of a university, he said, was to exalt individualism. They found it stated by their greatest philosopher that individualism had been, as it were, too much trodden under foot, and he hoped the young men of this community would maintain individual rights and individual liberties, even against State interference of every kind and class. The University of Otago was a credit to the Colony, and he thought it should not be forgotten that the first University in the Colony was founded in Dunedin. In concluding.he said he was glad to associate with the toast the name of the Rev. Dr Stuart, the chancellor of the Otago University ; and it should not be forgotten, he thought, that the Presbyterian Church had endowed two chairs in the Otago University out of its own endowments, while no other Church in the Colony had, even out, of larger endowments, given a single penny for higher education outside its own Church.