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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria University College, Wellington N.Z. Vol. 20, No. 9. June 27, 1957

Correspondence School?

Correspondence School?

The spate of essays expected from students in some departments appear to have increased compared with last year.

As last year's grand total put some departments in open competition with the type of education [unclear: indeed] in some of our more pedantic secondary schools one is now surely entitled, and indeed obliged, to ask whether a system distinct [unclear: from] lower educational institutions cannot be devised.

Can we not maintain our standard without recourse to such un-university methods of study? Must departments, to defend their own standards, increase the number of essays in face of similar increases by other departments? Cannot some general agreement be reached at a faculty level?

The case of one student I know who has some 30 essays to complete in 20odd weeks may be extreme, but an average of one essay every 8-9 days is nothing unusual for a student taking more than one Arts unit at higher stages.

Just when he is expected to gain a thorough general background to the particularised essay topics, or delve into those facets of his subjects which are of special interest to him. I cannot guess. Nor. I assume, can the departments concerned. If this has not been dealt with already by the Professorial Board, may I suggest, through "Salient", that this time is overdue.

If the mad race to increase essay work is not halted soon, we will not need the extension planned for the present site we will be at home, conducting our University education—in a vacuum from all other aspects of University life bar our subjects—by correspondence.—A. C. Walsh.