ACADEMIC STRESSES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1966, 24 January 1914, Page 10

ACADEMIC STRESSES.

EFFECT ON HEALTH. V THE FlfiHT . FOR SCHOLARSHIPS. J ilii-;,.Tcle:reo!i.--'l , rc;-= Association.) Duncdin, January '23. • .... '.U to-day's sitting oi the University Seiiato'.'a. discussion took place on the following motion' proposed by the i!ev. A.: CiniWo;;-''That 'in view of the ih■liueii!;e;o!' the'preparation for the Junior .I'liiversity- ,Scholarship Examination on 111" pwork of 'secondary' schools the Duncdin Committee be appointed to receive replies from the heads of secondary schools and .others to the following questions ami to report to the next- Senate —(a)- What is the general effect of the scholarship examination on the work of- your school? ■ (b) Is the present j .standard, too high? (c) Have you evi-1 ilenco of over-pressure, due to prep.va•'tioivi'or this examination?" A separate; 'report- is to. be made for girls' and bovs' schools; ■ ' ' . 2 ' . ' Mr. Cameron said that lie sas not ■ ■satisfied with regard to the effect of 'scholarships "on the . pupils of girls' -schools. That was what was really be-.-hjiid.o his motion and he thought that 'it was desirable that inquiry should be made as to' evidence of over-pressure, ■due to. preparation, lie could speak .with personal knowledge, oi' oases of girls, whose constitution had been permanently injured through the strain in preparing for scholarship examinations, lie did not- know of any-boys. . Professor Segar seconded the motion. Professor. J. K. Brown considered that 'the standard was too high. . i'lie Chancellor (Sir Robert Stout) said that it was impossible to get rid . of, people breaking down, it was not all argument, to say that because some people broke down, the whole standard should be lowered. There were, for instance, people .■■breaking down in athletics. .■'.He "ventured to say that"'.--;', there; '" was more" • breaking down'-'}.' in training.' for athletics ■ than'iii preparing for a scholarship examination. When people entered into a ■ .competition it was only the strong that .could win. The weak would be injured, niid the weak would fail. He did .not think that the junior scholarship stands rd was too high. ' Mr.- Hogbcn said that what was want-ed-was to'separate breakdowns that would havo happened'iii any ease from, those that were due to the strain of education. ■ They had got to such a state of affairs that some people seemed to believe that competitive examination bad fallen from Heaven. Wft were making a great mistake in putting so much value on competitive examination. Ho did not- think that the number of boys who broko down• physically -was very large,' but in regard to girls ho believed -.that a.large number, broke down, not in ihe : . sense'that they hecanip physical .wrecks, but- that thev berariio unfit- to perform the higher functions of womanhood. He thought that not only here, hut all over the world, it was now coming to'the noint where thev should serioitslv consider whether, without taking awav tlie benefit, they should .not make 'a. real differentiation in character between the work which girls had to do and the work the hoys had to do. After further discussion. Professor Hunter moved as an amendment .thatthe words "and others" be struck out, and the words "and other education authorities" be substituted. _ - ■ ■ ' • The liev, Mr. C.imoron intimated that lie.' would offer no objection to the amendment, and tho motion as amended, was .'carried.