OUR UNIVERSITY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4416, 15 May 1875, Page 3

OUR UNIVERSITY.

TO THE SDITOII. . „ 8,11/— Though on land University, if °o how I have new regulations a |f ectcd, , University anthoriteceived no information f saw at the Wairatks; and it was d (i n looking up' some rapa had been coninformation), that these reg OQ 2 3rd March, Hrmcd hy the y ov , e , r " o J. _„ ra i Government Gazette of and published in G“ so sweeping in ?hi r A «v«S»tt light °' certain utmost Indignation. _ t j er *ako In a young colony arrived professors should undertake tn a yo * ' With wlleh thojT arc national system of jjut discreditable is prising, hut it is tog misnamed New Zcait to the govcmfngbodyoft abdica t e its functions land University {hat « "W ““ a ° for thl3 upon the call of vanlty 'iml oojiau , hout in . imported system. dehate tho Governor in qufry, and, pcrl.aps wl hout deba c ino nomina , Council confirms this plan, ana giv natlona i ttf 'fr oV ul v arrTachty-liws for the Governor’s approval 7 presented £?/ O The o rei?nono a Then, how absurd tLreservalon for the Government s approval. . and New Zealand can only » U PP?J,L™“ a r SftiSSr this must be national. Gentlemen, suchi as loaningmembers of Parliament, should havei a voicein laying the foundation of all our national institutioua.«M if a number of such men aw™* l genuinely, and from a study of the ™ al { er ' ““ nominally, then X feel it necessary ta ai ologiac for what would then bo my presumption. But I ftelsuro tills matter has been viewed from the stand-point of a professor, and not from that of a statesman. In the British Isles there are many with various standards and systems, “« wd} known, and a gentleman can choose beforehand any standard and any system. Bhe national unlvcr-

sily of the British Isles is its body of universities. If 11. J national university was to bo transplanted, and not variedta suitT the soil, then a miniature of this hodv of universities should have been set here, and not merely the system of one or two <>',f b om and of one in particular, the London University. Ibej sxominations of this university are exceedingly severe. The examinations of many of the universities are moderate and some, no doubt, are comparatively easy. In England, from first to last, the system ob higher education is well understood. It is supported cultivated intellect of a great people out in its government by men whose llfet ‘" l “ n l‘ a '° been devoted to the fulfilling the functions of g?' 6 ?? •ment ; and men of the greatest capacity cultivate tne individual intelligences of the future or tne nation, in every branch of knowledge. Against al this, or rather in rivalry with it, New Zealand absurdly and most ridiculously sets its power. Creditable enough for New Zealand would it be|« its university were no higher than the least of England? universities. Nay, more, it would be more to ner credit than England’s best university is to her, • : A gentleman receives a liberal education, and Jia it affirmed by an examination and stamped witu a oegrec. This degree is also.granted in honors so that there will bo an honor degree and an ordinary degree. Thus the education acquired so as to maice a man well informed receives the stamp to ma. l more readily pass current, while the merit of a a of superior attainment is also duly rccognisea; seats of learning, Oxford and Cambridge ha centimes been renowned, and are recognised, doubt, as the chief universities of the the London University’s examinations (compulsory; may be higher. Let us compare the B. A. «t«icUrdl of the New Zealand University (which is t f °J > ®. f s !^ ei i f» and. I think, to bo of the same degree AS respective subjects as the London University ) that of Cambridge__ Cambridge. , Zealand. Greek, Acts of Apostles Greek language -one classic literature Latin, one classic Latin language History of English Kc- ' literature formation General history Euclid L, 11.. 111, IV., Political economy VI., I— Gth Algebra Algebra, parts of Euclid Mechanics, parts of Trigonometry Hydrostatics, parts of Arithmetic Sound Light It will be noticed here that while the Cambridge subjects are definite and easily, grasped in their extent, the New Zealand University’s subjects are indefinite, nay, illimitable and ungraspable. How wearisome is the journey with the end unknown. •' - All kinds of knowledge that are of value should be recognised. The portals of a university shoukLbe open to all, and all knowledge should bo cultivated within its walls. The New Zealand University, not following in this respect the Melbourne University, requires that the student should have the skill to unfasten three small outer gates—Latin, English, and arithmetic The authors, or their party, also wanted to make residence at an affiliated college compulsory. That the University-body might refuse to give its recommendation (a degree) to any of its students without being satisfied as to qualifications, is unquestioned. But what should those qualifications be. In England the tendency is to encourage all knowledge by all sorts of groupings of sciences and arts; and bachelors in music and bachelors in. science are now common degrees. But merit without wealth, and learning without Latin, with our coterie of , university pedants hero would find no favor. Let us contrast the standard of attainment for the E.A. degree set up by the old Council of the New Zealand University, and that set up by the new—that in existence now and that in existence a few weeks back. I take my own case, substituting trigonometry for a little mechanical philosophy— Former Standard. Present Standard. English language Latin language „ literature „ 4 literature Section only of general English language history „ literature Arithmetic History, general (not a Euclid I.—IV. portion) Algebra Political economy Trigonometry Arithmetic Euclid Algebra Trigonometry Astronomy Meteorology It will thus be seen that the present standard contains nearly double the number *)f subjects in former standard, while many are enlarged and_ all to be severer. Almost but yesterday the attainments required were of this degree ; to-day the degree is doubled. What gross incompetency in the one council or the other. The newly-arrived professors have raised the standard, but can they raise the men ? Instead of encouraging many to learn by placing standards within their half-trained strength, behold they stand upon their dignity. The acquisition of knowledge which is determined by examination indicates the man, and it is the man and not the knowledge that is respected. The man who attains to a very moderate standard of attainment in the grammar schools of New Zealand, with the means at his disposal, with the less powerful teachers that he has, is more deserving than he who attains a high one in a country where the greatest capacities and the most perfect skill help him to it.— I am, &c., T. WAKTSLI3T, Undergraduate, N. Z. University.