THE RHODES SCHOLAR'S MAKE-UP

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1015, 3 January 1911, Page 4

THE RHODES SCHOLAR'S MAKE-UP

: LEADERSHIP OR SCHOLARSHIP! (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Christohurch," January 3. "An Old Graduate of Oxford" writes to "The Press," taking strong exception to Sir Robert Stout's remarks at to tho age of the Rhodes Scholars. He 'ays: "I was at Oxford in the eighties. I left Christchurch at eighteen years of age, and took, my . degree nt 21, nearly two years younger than we are sending our Rhodes' Scholars to matriculate. At that time there were at Oxford and Cambnoge 17 to 20 old Christ's College boys of the same age.' and numerous others. from New Zealand and Australia, igarn,. oth;rs in the Army and "Nary hare bad to "O 'so far from home even earlier, and yet I can only recall one case of ;any approach to what Sir Robert Stom. fears. Sir Robert Stout .says:-Tha., after all, Oxford is a University, ami not a Ail'xco for the promotion 01 foothiill. . .1 would reply that the real <inestiou at issue is 'What did Mr Rhodes cayr . Ho took the wide view of Oxiord, namely, that it was not only a place at wincn men took high degieen, but a place where men's characters arc.-formed, whether 111 'the schools' or on the river,:,at cricket, football, or athletics. Ho wantcu Oxfoi'i to have some share 111 shaping- the man s clnricter. Sir Robert Stout wants tho character shaped before goes. The 'smu",' a man who can only take high lieerees, and lie'no"good at sports, and does not in any way become a leader of men, was surely'not the man Mr. Rhodes wanted, and vet Sir Robert Stout is, contrary to Mr." Rhodes's wish, inclines to put'scholarship first and the other qualifications nowhere. 5 '