DDOMISTIC SCIENCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 728, 29 January 1910, Page 6

DDOMISTIC SCIENCE.

■''/■ '-'.' *" ■'■'■ •''■ ■■- ''■ SUBJECT/. •'"■; (By ; ; AasociaUon.)..-.■,-'. ' ': :. .Dunedin, January 5 2&' .;- ■ ; iAt the meeting: of v the •'Oiiiyersity, Senate 1 tq-doy, the liomestic Science' Committee recommendeed that provision, be. made, in the statutes.'relating;.&,'-the '-B.So. degree for the inclusion'-; of .domestic soience, and', that'the; domestio : fioiencej course be divided into. tjiree,-':'ay follows:' — (1) Household. chemistry ;two papers;; (2) food production'' and'manufacture and food preparation; (3) nutrition aid diet .etiCs, domestic hygiene, and household, 'economics."' '■ <■ • ~<:' .■,':, ' '"'•■. In moving, the adoption; of the report; Mr. Hogben said that,a separate degree of domestic'-science, would' have no. currency either under the New'Zealand'Act' or by charter, but. there was nothing .prevent.itsbeing, a form of.the.B.Sc. de-. i' gree. Each of• -the' three subjects .proposed' would- occupy:- a- student-for:-,'two-years." : -'- •'■ .'■ '.■'-■"- -'.'' : -'.'' .Professor'!?.' B.' Brown;;said-;.'that : he. wanted to know what the'graduates".were 'to-be; Was the,:study-of.domestio science, to- lead merely to- management-, off home, or -was it understood ' that .graduates, should' be something in'the. nature of ■an inspector or,teacher?- v •'' .'; -V>;-■.. :.>'■: . /-Mr.:,'Hogben ..said .that .there'.;was a comparatively. large demand in ■ New Zealand for 'well-qualified' teachers-or domestic soience.'' He could ■ name. :at; least nine secondary schools' that'-were distinctly asking for' thesV teachers- now, 'and other' .schools we're willing to start the' subject,', if : they knew that, such teachers were obtainable.; V : , '■"•'. .'i;.','.'' J, ', ! j In reply to Dr.' Scott ; Mr.-Hogben. stated that-he. was'agreeable to. physiology -be- : ingiplaced in the first .section./:-.-.-' - ■.-■ -■ ' The: Hon.: Dr:" Collins ' seconded the motion, which he strongly supported.-'He said thai-many diseases for which surgical operations had to be performed could be-obviated to a large Extent by more: intimate' knowledge•• of '■; domestic, 'science, and,' in-future,--the- thorough study of that subject would add to. the longevity of the race: The syllabus could be .modified when experts were here to deal 1 with it'; ":;-,; .'; "'/'■: '.-' '"<■ •• . • Mr. von Haast'moved as an : amendment that consideration be postponed until the nest January session. 'He contended that ; the matter should not have been brought up' On' what was .practically/the'"last day ■of the Senate;' when a large number:of, 'had left. - : , Without7the.;opportunity of considering'tie subjectshrwas not sure' that the subject' coiild- not- be better! .taught'-'in- technical -schools, .than■at;.a 'university,-but,he -wanted.more;'in--foriaation\b'eforeh'im.r;Let- the;committee:, confer witV: the .-.ladies' who; were'.to; arrive;,; and' next vyeai the Senate would' "oonsider tWrnatter with'-an open mind : arid added:'information. :... '.;'Sir; Hay- 7 seconded the.amendment.. He .said that every member .was'in' sympathy .with the'movement, but he was very idoubtful as to ■ whether the end ;sought would be best achieved: by .making 'domestic science; a subject; for the B.So. degree. ■■ An important, aspect', of the matter was,. what; was going to bo the effect of the ohange on the. BiSc. degree. There was nothing.' to prevent a" man's taking a domestic soience: course, .and :it:would be as easy, for him; to:pass as for 1 a woman.- There was'.no guarantee ■that a. B.Sc.'. graduate, who had taken domestic science as part. of.the degree, had, practical -knowledge.-'. He; .thought the university, would, be absolutely helpless; in,.teaching women how to do:gOod service: in-their-, homes.- ' ~';;.:.-<'; Mr. James Allen opposed-the postponed iment. .He referred, to the.enthusiasm shown byOtago citizens in thematter. If. the. Senate. .wanted; to. kill .all efforts oh ,:the: part. of tie .people . to.- provide moneys, specially; for education subjects, a blow would .be. most -effectively struck by .postponing the.,consideration Of this proposal.-, 1 '■,-,-..'■ ■■'■-■ After " stating . that. -. the ■:■ syllabus was on the whole sound, he said that' the primary. school' teachers .would be 1 better, equipped to teach, children after having gone through this course, than if they took any other course.- '.He did hot-think the university would- enter into competition with the technical sohools : in this matter, and he did not think that., tie inclusion of the course, would- injure the B.So. degree. -.--','■• ' Professor Chilton advocated deferring consideration. ■■'. ;";.-■- The Eev. Mr. Cameron said that if the movement • were 'arrested/' he 'itas sure that it would kill tho generosity'of people in: these parts in. other, tilings. It would oonfirm. people;.in- their opinion that the university was merely concerned about ideals. .Professor MacmiHan ' Brown did- 1 . not .think a year-would; make any difference in: the matter. ..;'. : .... , Professor: J.. B. ;Brown- supported.;the motion.' 1 : . -"- -i-.:-:-..' .--;:■'■ '; ; The amendment was lost by ten votes to six, and, the motion was carried, the report' being : referred : to the Statutes Committee.:- ,'.' ■■.-\ ..- - ■ •','■ ;