MODERN STUDENTS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 688, 14 November 1933, Page 5

MODERN STUDENTS

(Presr- Assr:.-

WANT TYPEWRITERS to PRF.PARE PAPERS FOR EXAMS. PE>. AND TNK REI1ELLION

-By Telegraph— Cnpyright).

Christchurch, Monday. Among sevei*al candidates at present sitting for the university degree examinations in Christchurch the wish has been expressed that they might be allowed to uso typewriters, instead ? of having to answer their papers in : pen and ink. Such students are of course, very much in the minority, | and nearly all are those who are j working in offices at the same time as they are studying; but they point out that, as they are in the habit of . using typewriters throughout .the course of their everyday work, they are facing a distinct handicap when ? they are called on to do three-hour examination papers in their own handwriting. A point they make is that the ex- 3 aminers themselves would probably much appreciate the use of typewriters in such cases, instead of being j called on to decipher papers written by candidates whose handwriting j must show the effects of the unusual strain of writing at top speed -for : three hours on end. It is said that typewriters are commonly allowed in ■ examinations in the United States.

The difficulty is that the' "type- j writists" would not be able to sit their examinations in the same rooms as *3 the pen-and-inkists," who would he j disturbed by the noise. Additional | supervisors would therefore he neces- I sary, and probably there are not j enough bad writers to justify this.ex- 3 pense at present. : Actually, one candidate at least is j using a typewriter in the present ex- : aminations because her handwriting is so bad, and is standing the expense | of a special supervisor in a separdte \ room out of her own pocket. The ex- ; op.nse would not be great, however, if 1

shared among several "typewritists" and the advantage of being able to answer the questions in their own medium, as it were, would probably; make it worth while. It is probably too late this year to make such arrangements, even if there are enough bad writers to justify them, but it is thought that something might be d6ne ; next year. ; Another suggestion, not so important, perhaps, but still of cohsiderahle interest to those concerned, is that candidates who wish to smoke during examinations should be able to. do so. Persons who smoke during _ work often get into the way of finding it a very valuable aid to concentration; and to he derived of it for three hours at a time when concentration isr so necessary, is described as. a fteal pehance."