UNIVERSITY SENATE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 1967, 26 January 1914, Page 6

UNIVERSITY SENATE.

KEEPING TERMS. ".LEAVING CERTIFICATES!? & MATRICULATION. (Vr Tolwrraph.—Prwj AosolaUon.) Dunedln, January 24. Tho .session of the "Univorsity Senate was continued to-day. The following resolution was received from tho Canterbury College:—"That the Senate bo earnestly recommended to alter the provisions for keeping terms in suoh a way that no student who presents himself for a.scction of tho degree examination in any year need be examined by his college within two months before tho beginning of tho university examination." Professor Chilton moved that the request bo agreed to. Professor Hight seconded' the motion, and after discussion it was agreed to niter _tho statute to allow of an annual examination being held between August 1 and tho university examination. Special Prizes. Mr. A. F. Von Hanst brought up tho report of tho Bowen prize examiners as follows); —(I) That tho Bowen prize'for 1913 bo awarded to tho candidate whose motto is "Nil mortalibus orclnuui ent." (2) That the swbjectof theessay for 1915 be "England in Egypt." The report was agreed to. On the envelope bearing tho motto being opened, it was found that the winner of tho prizo is Werner •Heine, of Victoria College, Wellington. .Professor Hewitson, tho examiner, recommended that tho Haydon prizo (donated by the late Mr. Joseph Haydon), for tiio encouragement of Imperial sentiment, bo awarded to the candidate whose essay bore tho motto, "Dunrobin." Tho recommendation was agreed to. On tho cnvelopo bearing tho motto being opened, it was found that the winner of tho prize is H. K. Christie, of Otago University.

In regard to applications for admission ad eundem, tho committee recommended : —"That tho diploma of public health of the University of Now Zealand be granted to Frederic Irving de Lisle, L.R.C.P.L.N., Edinburgh, L.S.A., London, D.P.H., Dublin, 1.1.5; William Little, M.D., ' D.P.H., Cambridge; Sydney Taylor Champtaloup, B.Sc. (pubIk: health), Edinburgh; Alexander R. Falconer, D.P.H., London: Joseph P. Frengley, D.P.H., London. That William Blaxhuid SJioppee Benhain, Doctor of Science; University of London; bo admitted to the degree of D.Sc.' and Cli.B. That Robert Stout, Doctor of Medicine, aaid Bachelor of Surgery, University of London, be admitted to the. degrees of M.D. and Cli.B. in the University of Ne.w Zealand. That Thos. D. M. Stout, Master of Surgery, University of London be admitted to a degreo of Master of Surgery in the University of New Zealand. That Edwin Henry Britton Mfison,.Doctor of Medicine and Bachelor,of Surgery, University of London, be admitted to the degrees of M.A. and Cli.B. in the University' of New Zealand. That Sydney T. Champtaloup, Bachelor of Science. University of Edinburgh, be admitted to tho degree of , B.Sc. in tho University of New. Zealand. That tho Rev. William Hewitson, Bachelor of Arts,Ujiive'rsity.'of .Melbourne, be admitted to tho degree of B.A. in tlio University ol ■ New. Zealand. Tho report -was adopted. .... Tho report of tho Recess Committee, on the December examinations, contained the following:—The number of candidates was, for matriculation, etc., 1360; , for Royal Military Collgge entrance, 20; for entrance scholarships, 102. Total 1542. Leaving Certificates Suggested. considered, a proposal that under certain conditions the leaving certificates of approved secondary schools he accepted as exempting tho holders thereof from the matriculation examinations. Tho proposal was put forward by the Rev. A. Cameron, who moved accordingly with the following addition: (2) That the Wellington Recess Com 7 niitteo bo appointed (a) to set out con-' ditions on which such certificates will be so acceptedj ' (b): to prepare a list of secondary schools; (3) that the committee report to , tho next meeting of tho Senate. The mover said that he did not desire in any way that tho matriculation standard should bo lowered. Mo wanted to make that quite clear. He did not think that tho danger of lowering the matriculation' standard came from pupils who wont to tho university, but thought that tlie danger was in regard to thoso pupils Who had been at°t-ho secondary schools only for a. very limpci'iod or had not been there at all. It would not bo difficult for the Senate, guided by tho Recess Committee in Wellington, to framo provisions under which the leaving' certificate of approved schools would secure the maintenance of the standard of matriculation. Ho thought that the proposal, it agreed to, would raise the standard of , students rather than to lower it. that had been tho result in Germany where tho system is practised. One of tho great evils in tho secondary schools was that tho pupils did not remain there long enough and their short presence only disorganised the school. If anything could he done to kpep the bovs and girls longer ii\ tho secondary schools (those seeking to prepare themselves for university work or for a high standard of education) it should be done, and to that end it might be provided that a certificate would only be given to a pupil who has remained in a high school for, sav four years. He believed tho secondary schoolswere fettered by this outside examination. From the day that bovs went to the school to the day they left they and their teachers hud this examination in view, an examination over which they had. no control. Professor J. R. Brown seconded the motion: Ho said the proposal was to some extent on tho American lines, although it went a little beyond that standard. He thought it was well worth investigating and seeing if a satisfactory scheme could be evolved. '. Shilling the Responsibility. Professor J. Macmillan Brown said that his main obiection was that they wero simply"shiftinu the piiot of their responsibility. A large number were not fit to give such a wiwlegc. They would havo to employ a' staff of expert examiners. ' ... Professor Hunter.said that he took it that to begin with- the Senate would mako perfectly certain that onlv those schools would bo approved that; wero beyond, reproach in" their standard. There would then be a matriculation examination'for students of other schools. That was not impossible Tho Chancellor said it appeared that there were to be no external examinations of students at the University, and none for. pupils of secondary schools. A leaving .certificate was. to do evorythinu, and the' teacher was . to,, say that .his pupil was fit fof "the-'University.' were were to be an examiner, tho Senate ought to appoint.the examiner. -That was the whole question. Ho pointed out that tho London University examined the seliool, and thev'examified students in. the matriculation examination. He foresaw danger of tho Church question heing. introduced, and emphasised the need of examination. saw no difficulty in having some form of agreement between secondary.schools and the University. Tlie proposal was not'unworkable, and tliero• was'no obiection to it from ail education:.point of view. "It"would also be an, immense advantage to schools. He did not think tliev wero ready, to take tlie approved certificate of secondary schools without conditions, but conditions could be imposed to guard tho position. ,Tlie proposal was well worth consideration, and he would heartily TTlie.motion was rejected by 13 to 8. support it,