THE UNIVERSITY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1048, 10 February 1911, Page 3

THE UNIVERSITY.

SIR WILLIAM RAMSAY'S OPINION

Tlio University Reform Association recently wrote to authorities on university education for their opinion of the method of examination, and tlio administrative organisation of our university. In order that the opinions so obtained should bo Quito representative and authoritative, past and present examiners of the University of New Zealand, chancellors, vicechancellors, and professors of a number of English, Australian, and some American universities were invited to tend their ndvico. All the replies received will be published. The first received from an examiner, Sir William Ramsoy, is given below— Sir William Ramsav, K.C.8., LL.D., D.Sc, F.R.S.,' has been Professor of Chemistry in University College, London, and proiniaently connected with the University of London for over twenty years. Ho is famous as a scientist for his discovery with Lord Rnyleigh of a new elementary gas nrgon of unprecedented qualities in tho atmosphere. He followed this up by finding four other new gases. But his most revolutionary discovery, ono foreshadowed by. Professor Rutherford, made with Mr. Soddy. They found that the element radium turns' spontaneously into the element helium, and thus showed'that tho trarsnmtatiou of elements was possible, though uncontrollable.. Besides being a scientist honoured by many nations, Sir William Ramsay has often written on university administration. His training in a Scottish and a German University,' his experience as a professor in two universities, and as principal of University College, Bristol, put him in n peculiarly favourable position in comparing university systems. Further, at University College, London, ho has attracted to his laboratory men from all parts of ths world, including New Zealand. This enables him to compare tho training afforded by tho .institutions his research students camo from. [Extracts from President Jordan's memorandum arc inserted in squaro brackets to make Sir W. Ramsay's meaning clear.] QUESTION A:. EXTERNAL EXAMINATIONS. I havo examined in chemistry for tho University of New Zealand for i four years; having examined for tho London University, before its reform, for-five. I have much experience of the system of external examinations, and do not hesitate to condemn it utterly. Its worst consequences are still to bo seen in tho Indian universities, which nrc thoroughly rotten; where all tho work is examinational, and where the results aro beneath contempt. The results of my experience in examining for Now Zealand have confirmed my conclusions. The degrees are necessarily haphazard. I, will not go so far as to say that merit is not detected, or ignorance spotted; but I hove always felt'that in tho majority of candidates I examined under a pseudonym, my verdict was just ns likely to bo. wrong as right.' , Ono assertion in your letter must- certainly bo contradicted. Tho standard is not maintained. There is no standard, and your degrees aro ol absolutely no value in Europe. I doubt if your graduates would bo admitted to a German university without further test. I havo had several of your men as students, but most of what they learned—power of exercising judgment, of developing instincts of research—were gained at university college. ;■ 'I agree thoroughly with President Jordan. Wo aro slowly fighting • and gaining ground in England in' attempting to get tho American system .adopted; but prejudice dies hard, even in tho minds of teachers.- In a sense it. is against theii interests to havo things changed, for it is a means of income. A teacher may act as external examiner in n university hot his own, and so increase, his usually small income, and-it is hard to gtt men to agitato for a movement in which they will suffer pecuniarily. . I can usefully employ tho space in commenting on President Jordan's memorandum. -"•■.•■.' , ..- i 1. tLet examination be a function of. tho professor, not of tho, University . . .11 should press for the adoption of this recommendation, and should accept no half-measures. '• 2. [Requirements for degrees should be stated in terms of work accomplished not in terms' of examinations required. Tho examination of any class should bo controlled by its members.] ; I- endorso 3.'l should modify this as follows:—In caso of a vacant chair or lectureship, let a meeting of tho Protesonal Board bo called and let a committee of the professors in tho faculty in which tho vacancy has occurred bo appointed to make inquiries as to a smtahlo candidate. Let them receive applications , and testimonials, and, abovo all, obtain private written testimony concerning tho merit of tho candidates. Let .them draw- up a reasoned repor.t, showing cause. why each of tho applicants should be rejected and why tho ono preferred should obtain preference. This report to bo read to, and approved, first by tho faculty, next by tho Professorial BM"V fyiS the governing body of ■ tho college, lnis plan has worked successfully at University Collego, London, for over seventy years. It appeals to tho self-interest of tho committee engoged, for they have to select n colleague, .and, moreover, ono whoso work in conjunction with theirs will increase their prestige and incomes. I am aware that this in America is left to tbo president. > But it is on invidious iob, and in many cases mistakes have been and aro made. A president can t bo omniscient. I prefer our plan. . 4 [So far as possible, the certificate of masters of approved secondary schools should be received in place of matriculation examinations.] Agreed. , 5 rßefers to the major professor system.: Good on the whole. C [Dcgrco ' should not bo granted for oxt'ra-mural study, and in general.not for attendance on night lectures or extension lectures.! I" heartily endorse this. Its neglect has-' deeply, injured English umagro with the president's letter in tho "New Zealand Times." WILLIAM RAMSAY. QUESTION B: GOVERNMENT. As to tho government of tbo university, 1 am in favour of giving the staff a largo representation—say, eight or ten out of twenty-four-on tho supremo governing body. Fewer make it impossible to gain attention to .each branch'of tho subjects taught. On the whole these representatives should confine their attention to academic matters, • leaving financial matters to the other members of tho council; and conversely, the outside members of the council should deal' with financial matters, dealing with academic matters only whero financial questions are involved. .This, again, has been tho practico at university college; it has been copied by all the provincial universities and it has worked admirably. • • The most important matter connected with a university is to select ablo professors. The reputation of n university depends on its staff and on their work.Having chosen tho best men nvailable, give them,us nearly as possible, a-free, hand Trust them to tram and to.judge of students. If incapable dismiss them. -I am, etc., , WILLIAM RAMSAY.

■\[ r W E. Harvcv, Labour candidate tor Nortii-Enst Derbyshire had an cmb'rrassiliß experience at aow \vhittiiigt"n The crowd broke into the committee room, and one enthusiastic fenialo supporter Hung her amis around Sir. Harvev's neck and pinned some yellow ribbon on" his coat. Tho children coughed and sneezed in school; Tho ladv Teacher, calm and cool; Hemarkcd: "Tho Government's pretty To let me buy Woods' Peppermint Cure. For all this sneezing, coughing crowd, \nd not a sixpence I m allowed! Yet I must doctor all the lot, Or else the eckool will go to potJ"-Advt. Canon Cosgrove has given Preston young men advice en choosing their wives. In. stead of looking for a future partner in tbo parks on a Saturday and Sunday night, a young man, ho snys, should mako it a condition that his future partner should secure a first or second prize in tho domestic science classes at the. institute.