CAPPING CEREMONY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 228, 20 June 1919, Page 8

CAPPING CEREMONY

UNIVERSITIES AND THE WAR

""'VICTORIA COLLEGE'S RECORD

The capping ceremony of Victoria College took place in the Town Hall last night. Mr. Clement Watson, chairman of the College Connoil, presided, and members of the council and of tho college staff-were also on the platform.'General G. F. S. Richardson was present. Tim new graduates occupied the front of the hall, and the undergraduates and their friends filled the body of • the hall and the galleries. The ohairman said that he was very glad to feel that the capping ceremony of 1919 was being conducted without the sjwdpw of war hanging; over it. The college was already feeling the benefit oi EestorecL peace. The number of students had increased, and at present the accomaodation"was muoh overtaxed. He was glad to be able to announce • that the Government had eome to the rescue and had authorised tho completion of the north wing. He hoped that a beginning : would be made with the work in the near future. Arrangements were also being made.to fill the new professorship. Mr. Watson introduced General Eichardson.

General Eichardson was received, with prolonged applause, and the students eang "For Hete a Jolly Good Fellow" 'very heartily. He said that he was glad jtp "bp,, present and to see such a. fine gathering of New Zealand students. Ho congratulated the graduates on .the work they had done during the year. The universities of the Empire had done wonders during the war. He had been tho New Zealand representative-at the War Office on August 7, 19U, when Lord Kitchener issued his proclamation calling for lOD.fluO .volunteers for the new army. Lord Kit- ' bhener : heeded also 2000 young'officers, and he asked the universities to provide them. The War Office was at once flooded with .applications from professors and students, who really wero making application for the right to. die for the, nation. The Empire was ..not then prepared for •war. Every available fighting man, every man who could kill a' Bocfie, was requir:ed. Many notable men who lost their lives in the early days of the war would, have been of enormous value to the Em- : pire in the later stages of activity. The universities did riot merely supply ,fighting men: they provided brains and technical-knowledge for the vast industrial developments rendered necessary by the war. New Zealand's experience in the selection of officers had been the same as the experience of other countries. The first requisite had been education; - tho "second character,'and the third "training.. Manyiyourig New Zealanders had received training in thts'''Btitisli"'universities during the war, and ho believed that they were going to be a force in the Dominion 1 in the -years'to come. Thousands of New, Zealanders were coming back to the.Dominion'wiser, and'he bclioved better mail. The education scheme that'had: been 'developed for the New Zealand forces had originated' with professors associated 1 with the-T.M.C.A. ■• He-had'seen the'import-, ance of the development, and he had assisted- in an effort that had ■ given ■ tho soldiers, awaiting-demobilisation,-an opportunity to-secure eduoation of a very '■ valuable kind. • Professors and- teachers in the Expeditionary Force had co-operat-ed heartily and ' suc6essfully. General Eiphardson mentioned that thirty New. 'Zfealand'soldiers -were now studying in .British-universities under the Govern, irienfs scholarship scheme. : • - -

Geenral. Richardson said that Victoria College had a very fine record of wat service. The college had sent 637 students, on service, and of these ho fewer than 108 had lost their lives. Soldiers from the college had gained 'one C.M.G., one D.C.M., five D.S.O/s,. 19 M.C.'s .three Jf.M.'s, and one'foreign decoration. • He congratulated the college on its achievements. Men naturally hoped to-day that'there would ho no more war, and that the education' and knowledge that had been applied so successfully to the purposes of war would be used in the tasks of pe'acoV In any case he trusted that the students of Victoria College would.always be_ prepared to "do their bit." General Richardson congratulated the new graduates and mentioned that the college bad the honour of having on its staff- a man who had located more German guns and supplied more information to the Intelligence Department ,'thari probably any other man in Welling-v-ton, .That' was Professor Marsden,- who his'scientific knowledge in 'eoiind'.'iriciuiry.on. the Western front.

'" D.rr.D'.',, Jenness spoke of the importance, ;of university work', and mentioned .his experiences as a' member'of the. Canadian Arctic Expedition, which iwenfc north in 1913 and heard n'othine of the great war until 1915. He had been .one, of six scientists representing five ■uh'iversities; Each., man had' been'allotted his own-branch of. scientific .work, jput each had been required to take' his "ipart in the general work of the expedition.; and to become dog driver, cook, .s.untei', j fisherman and carpenter. The expedition had been very-successful. It examined a verv wide area of country, .located .two million 'tons of copper ana " (Collected,, a/very large .amount of scientific information. ' The success of'/the "expedition had been' made possible bv university education, \ which added strength and ability to any man who Teceived it.

,-t'The. degrees wero then presented,- by General Richardson.

The-students sang several songs'before the formal part.of the. proceedings ended. The last degree' was presented before 0' p.m., and the students then held a dance in the hall. THE GRADUATES. The-graduates for'the year aro as follow:— ■-■,*■"•.. Masters of Arts (with Honours). '•"■ Edith Race Davics, 'Jessie S. Dunn, Thomas ,E. Kane, Eleanor. Kidston, . 'WinifredE. G. Knight, Dorothy M'Cartney, Dorothy B, Maclean; Nora P. Norman, *01ive R. Salmon, Iris H.. Wood l ■house./ Matthew P. Woodward. *Jacob Joseph Master of Art 6. Lenora J. Frayno. -'•"' -~ ■ Bachelors of Arts. '.. - '""Beryl: G: ■ Armstrong,-' Fanny D. BingJijira, _ Henrietta Blacker, Norman A\ , Byrne', Helen M. Calliphronas, Alice Cocker," Nora A. Devlin, Eiloen V. Esp'i.ner, Lilian E. Falkner, Ailsa L. Gold, Eudora V. Henry, Holen M. Hind, Rona P.- Karsten, Mabel- U. Loftits; Ita M'Carthy, Edith Martin, Erica M. Matthews, *Harold G. Miller, Muriel A. Moore, Eric K. Rishworth, Ernest H; W. Rowntree, Bernard J. Ryan, Gordon P. Saunders, Eva H. Smith, *Ivan L. G. Sutherland, tSidney A. Wiren, Edith M. Woods. , ■ ■ ''Senior. University Scholars. tJohn Tinline Scholars. Bachelors of Science. ♦Ethel W. J. Fenton.'Philip P. Lynch, Frederick W. Martin, Charles S. Slocombe. p ♦Senior University Scholar. "" Bachelor of Laws. Joseph Byrne, Alexander F. Meldrum, William J. M'Eldowney, Esther E. Ongley; William J. C. Patterson, Joseph H. Sheat, Paul Verschaffelt, Sidney A. Wiren.

TO-NIGHT'S ENTERTAINMENT. To-night the university students are to present "Der Tag," said to be a-clever, witty skit on the social and noliticai events of the* day.- The reception of "Bill" and "Joe" on their return is one of the items, and there are other special attractions. The students hav? devoted a good deal of time and thought to the preparations for to-night, and it is. anticipated that the ovening will be right, up to. the best standard set.