A LAND OF CONTRAST

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 186, 24 May 1939, Page 4

A LAND OF CONTRAST

A STUDENT SEES U.S.A. (SPLENDID UNIVERSITIES NEW YORK’S CULTURE ‘WILL TRY ANYTHING NEW’ Differing greatly in its subject matter from the average tourist’s tale of huge buildings, great waterways and a host of impressive material manifestations of the American genius an address given to the Gisbornei Rotary Club recently, by Miss Rona Stephenson dealt chiefly with the personal impressions of a student who, during a lengthy residence in the United States, took advantage of every opportunity to see how people lived in

the great communities. . Anxious to qualify in,.the:.profession, of physical education, Miss Stephen-, son spent some time of California, where . 15,000-students are enrolled, and an amazing variety; of courses are offered by the faculty." Her comments upon the general characteristics of an American university were keenly interesting, and in particular her remarks "regarding the provision madle lor students’ leisure hours. She mentioned that the cost of tuition a.t the university of California was equivalent to £lO per student per year, and that for this sum they enjoyed the use of amazingly specialised educational and sports facilities.

Though many of the university students are enrolled because it is the recognised thing to do, and a great number do not complete, their courses of study, university degrees are becoming precious in the employment, market of the United States, Miss Stephenson explained. One famous New York firm had! a rule that none but university graduates need apply for counter jobs even, and graduation was a, step to any well-paid position in the community. Interest in New Zealand. Interest in New Zealand was keen, the Gisborne girl found, and in order to. meet the demand for information she found it necessary to prime herself with book-knowledge. Fortunately, in the University of California Library, the million volumes comprising the stock contained about 109 dealing with New Zealand. Miss Stephenson soon recovered' from her early surprise concerning the vague ideas held by Americans as to the location and general characteristics of the Dominion, a vagueness equalled, she realised, by that of the average New Zealander when questioned about any of the American States. There was some satisfaction in finding that people were interested, even if misinformed previously. One experience was that after being interviewed by a, student newspaper-worn an she read in the university paper a story carrying the caption: “New Zealander Slings the Lingo!” While staying at International House, Berkeley, California, Miss Stephenson made the acquaintance oi many people of different nationalities, and this enabled: her to> visualise foreign countries not merely as. the home of other nations, but also as the homes of friends. It was 7 with this object that the International Hou.ses in New York, Chicago, Paris and Berkeley were founded, the idea being that tolerance between individuals of different nations must help tolerance between the nations themselves. The ideal was a wonderful one, remarked Miss Stephenson, but it was doubtful if it would work.

While staying in New York at international House there, her experience was that the different national communities' represented there worked more smoothly together, andl had a strong cohesive tendency at all times. Their mutual backgrounds made it easy for them to coalesce, and to give more of themselves to this coalition than to contacts with people of other countries. Self-Centred City Dwellers “A visit to New York is an experience worth having, though one could not imagine living there permanently. It is a city of strangers, in which each seems to live entirely for himself or herself, with competition so fierce that there is no time to consider anyone else,” said i\Jiss Stephenson, who related some of the manifestations of oblivion to the. interests of other people she had witnessed.

On the other hand, she found that New (York was a marvellous centre of culture, willing to give a chance to anything new, though equally ready to throw out anything which it did not like. A city of strong contrasts, it typified the “melting-pot” of the United States, with its huge racial groups and the hypocritical attitude of the North towards the negro, who was permitted a sort of equality in small things, hut was rigidly barred from equality in bigger matters.. The attitude of the South was more consistent, for there they pretended to no gift of equality for the negro race.