VICTORIA COLLEGE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 193, 13 May 1944, Page 5

VICTORIA COLLEGE

More Accommodation Needed REHABILITATION QUESTION “We meet, this year in more propitious circumstances than we have done since 19311.” said Mr. 11. F. O’Leary, speaking al the graduation eeretnony of Victoria University College, over which he presided, last night. He expressed the hope that university graduates of the college, now serving overseas, would be able to take part in the ceremony next year. Though the outlook was good, the tusk of carrying on the functions of the college was still difficult, because of depletion of staff and lack of adequate accommodation, he said. The number of students had increased to .1120., almost a record. In at least one of the science faculties division of classes had been necessary, duplicating the work of professors and lecturers. Apart from accommodation for academic work, accommodation for-student activities was meagre. New buildings were required for the chemistry department and for the Student Union. The first could be regarded ns wholly the responsibility of the Government.. The second was also to some extent the responsibility of the Government, but the students were doing their utmost to provide the nucleus of a fund for the purpose. He reiterated the hope he had previously expressed that some wealthy person would make a gift of sufficient money to enable the building to be started. Discussing men returning from the forces, Mr. O'Leary said that the Government's plans for educational rehabilitation were generous, but lack of living accommodation was such that the academic careers of the men concerned might be endangered. Hostel accommodation was necessary for them and for other students, and he suggested that it was as much a matter for rehabilitation as many other aspects to which attention was being given by the Government. Mr. O’Leary said that, through the efforts of the university, in conjunction with the military authorities,, servicemen overseas were able, to sit their examinations in the Pacific and the Middle East, and a number had passed. The conditions under -which they worked were shown by the (fact that. one. supervisor had given a candidate extra time for his examination because of the distraction of bombing aud shelling.