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The Daily Times’ has again got into a muddle with recrard to the question of the conferring of degrees on students who have not attended college lectures. With the arrogance for which our contemporary is noted, the ‘ Times’ in yesterday’s issue rehearses its educational Athanasian creed, and consigns to outer darkness and intellectual perdition all those who in the smallest degree withold their assent to its rather monstrous doctrines that a University, to be of use, must be a close corporation; and that examinations cannot decide whether a man is educated or not. We, unfortunately, canno* assent to these doctrines or opinions, and are most undoubtedly within the circle over which the dread anathema extends: we cannot assent to ttie opinions of th« * Daily Times,’ if ■ indeed the loose, random statements which our contemporary is in the habit of giving to the public with regal’d to education can be looked upon as, in any sense, expressions of opinion. They are, rather, reiterations of popular catchwords which the ‘ Times ’ has just had sense enough to pick up and be captivated by, but not sense enough to thoroughly understand. In fact we are rather ashamed oc fighting constantly with a foe that is certainly not worth the trouble of hitting, and should not take the pains that we are in the habit of taking to correct our contemporary’s misstatements, if we had not a sort of vague hope (certainly unwarranted as yet by the appearance of any favorable symptoms), that our contemporary may see the error of his ways and refrain from writing about what he does not understand. Our other reason for being at the ■ of correcting his mistrlres ir <-hr.t Hies.*

' ' l • ■■ >V.' b<!l.>U; i.o.v ■111:.- a •. ei \ (!■ a. ot ha; m. Of course ivo do u .t im;.any nt iral blame to our contemporary for the mischief he hj is caused, as it is very plain that his wrong-doings are owing to his complete incoaipetency in every way to offer an opinion upon such subjects—in short to his utter ignorance, rather than to any innate malignity of disposition. We nee 1 only mention the two cases of the matriculation examination at the University, and of the late Rector of the High School, in order to prove that our remarks are not without foundation. Many of our readers will no doubt, remember that at the time when our University was about to be opened we insisted very strongly on the necessity of making the matriculation examination as strict as it could well be. We pointed out that unless every precaution was taken from the very commencement to prevent unqualified persons from becoming recognised members of the University the status of the institution would suffer, and that while it certainly might be possible to i'j* rs *‘ l ar a e classes of students, these students would never come to anything or reflect any lustre on the name of the University unless they were really prepared before coming College to pass such an examination as that of the Melbourne University. But no; this would not suit the ‘ Daily Times ’ at all. The thing must get a start, the Colony was young, and could not be expected to produce students capable of matriculating, and so forth. The U| - shot of the matter was that the University, as the Times’ has since confessed, was very nearly wrecked oa this rock, and several years will probably have to elapse before

it will gain the position which it would now hold i£ it had not followed the unspeakably foolish advice of the ‘ Daily Times,’ and made things easy and pleasant for itstiulrnt ;. instead of insisting on thorough fi-o:n the very first. With regard to the 1 ugh School it is unnecessary to do more than r ay that the treatment of this institution by the Times’shows how utterly unfit that journa l is to act as a giver of advice with regard to any educational matter whatever. As everybody knows, it is to a large extent owing to the exertions of the ‘Daily Times ’ that this institution has been twice brought into a crippled and almost unworkable condition, while the best teacher probably that was ever in the Province was driven out of it, and another has been all but driven out of the world by the same agency. But, as we said before, we are not inclined to press hardly upon our contemporary; acts quite according to his light, which is by no means bright and is at the same time exceedingly limited. With regard to the matter of examinations, the ‘ Times ’ says ; “ Examinations after a care-fully-prepared curriculum of study are admirable, but they are, in no kind of way, an efficient test by themselves.” • Now we hold on the contrary that they are not only an efficient test, but also that they are the only ones that are available. I’here is really no other test than this that can be used to show whether a person has received a good education or not, except one, and that is his success or non-success in life If two persons with similar capabilities and advantages, but who have received different kinds of education, turn out, the one well and the other ill, then it may be assumed that the education of the one has been better than that of the other. This is, however, a test that can hardly be applied till it is too late to take advantage of the knowledge resulting from the application of the test. We may say in very truth that an examination is practically the only means of testing educational acquirements of whatever kind; and, further, we maintain that if the programme of an examination has been skilfully drawn up by persons who thoroughly understand what are the best things for candidates to know, and are able to say what subjects will, in the process of being mastered, confer on students the most and the best mental culture, teachers, whether in a Ragged School or a University, cannot do better than pi’epare their pupils directly and confessedly with the intention of enabling them to acquit themselves satisfactorily in such an examination. The training required to give a mastery of the subjects in the programme will give the culture desired: there is no fear of that. Given a good programme, and skilful examiners, other matters will take care of themselves.

At the Princess’s last night “ Not Guilty” was given, with fair success. To-night the favorite musical drama ‘ Rob Roy ’ will be produced, and Miss Willis will dance a Highland Fling.

A committee, with Mr J. P. Armstrong, M.P. C., as secretary and convener, has been appointed to take preliminary steps for er- ct ing a suitable tablet to the memory of the late Wilson Gray, in the South Dunedin Cemetery. The only case heard at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Pore Chalmers, this morning, was a charge of drunkenness preferred against Thomas Healey, He was fined ss, or in default to be imprisoned for twenty-four hours.

At the City Holice Court, this morning before Messrs E. ff Ward and C. Flexman, J P's William Evans, William Winter, and John Mitchell, for drunkenness, were each fined ss, with the alternative of twentyfour hours’ imprisonment; Catherine Cribb. for being the occupier of disreputable quarters iu Walker street, was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment ; and a charge of theft, preferred against Abigail M‘Douald, by Louis Jacobs, hawker, was dismissed.

The following gentlemen were last evening elected office-bearers of the Licensed Vic tuallers’ Association for the ensuing year: President, Mr J. Carroll; Vice-President, Mr Hutchison; Hon. Treasurer, M. H. J. Walter; Hon. Secretary, Mr Godfrey Jacobs; Secretary, Mr Alex. Findlater; Committee : Messrs Black, Richmond. Walker, Williamson, White, Krull, and Lyons; Auditors, Messrs M. Moss and Louis Court. The Association voted ton guineas to the Benevolent Institution.

The popularity of the entertainment given by the Fakir of Oolu at the Queen’s increases nightly, and his clever illusions were received last evening with manifestations of delight by a large audience. The illusion of the decapitated head must be seen to be realised; the fairy fountain was seen to its best; and the musical selections played by the hand—one of the most efficient that has hitherto visited Dunedin contributed in a very great degree to the enjoyment of the performance.

A meeting of the ratepayers of the Hoslyn Road District was held in the Linden schoolhouse, for the purpose of nominating two persons te serve as members on the Hoad Board in the place of Mr James Kilgour and Mr A. H. Boss, the two retiring members. Mr A. H. Ross presided. . The fob lowing gentlemen were duly nominated ■Messrs James Kilgour, N. Y. A. Wales, 0. Taylor, D’Arcy Haggitt, A. R. 0. Strode! A, H. Jack, and Robert Turnbull. The Returning Officer having called for a show of hands, Mr Wah>s received 12 votes, Mr Kilgour 9, Mr Turnbull 7, Mr Strode 5, Mr Jack 5, Mr Taylor 4, and Mr Haggitt 2. A poll was demanded on the behalf of Mr Strode by Mr D. Millar and Mr Newman, and it will take place at the schoolhouse on Thursday, the 10th of June.

Much dissatisfaction having existed in the congregation of Kaikorai Church for some time past, from the fact that the secular affairs of the Church were entirely managed by the deacons, the congregation having failed to obtain a sufficient number of their members to accept office, a congregational meeting was called at the request of some of the members and held in the church on Monday evening, to take the matter into consideration. The attendance was not large. After several members had expressed then views on the subject, it was moved by Mr D. Miller and carried “ That a committee of management be elected to conduct the secular affairs of the Church.” The following memhers were, on the motion of Mr Spier i, duly e’ec •; a committee : —Messrs C. Taylor, ■J ■' ao . A. Miller, I), Miller, G. M : Her, ill 'am Creig, and the mover, their term of office being fixed at six months.

There ia now some foundation to support the rumor that it is the intention of the •General Government to push on the Marlborough line of railway, to connect with the northern portions of the Nelson and Canterbury lines (says a Marlborough contemporary). A ri conaissance survey has been made, and it is stated that the engineers have reported the discovery of an available tract of country, through whi'ohaline can be carried at a moderate expense. The proposed line is expected to connect with l avelook, the Rai Valley, and Nels n ; from thence southwards, until it forms a connection with the railways in Canterbury. By the time this scheme is carried out, the lines in Otago and Canterbury will be joiaed, and there will bo an unbroken line of communication from Dunedin to Piet m. Some time must necessarily elapse before this can he accomplished, but when it is finished, Picton must become the receiving and forwarding depot for the through lines of railways. We have received the * Evangelist ’ and the ‘ Temperance Advocate’ fer June. A meeting of the I .adder of Hope Juvenile Lodge, 1.0. G.T., will be held in the Temperance Hall, on Friday evening, at 7.30.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18750602.2.5

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Evening Star, Issue 3829, 2 June 1875, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,887

Untitled Evening Star, Issue 3829, 2 June 1875, Page 2

Untitled Evening Star, Issue 3829, 2 June 1875, Page 2

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