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The Spike: or, Victoria University College Review, June 1922

College Notes

page 47

College Notes

Sketch of a group of men talking

The Rhodes Scholar.

A fine scholar, an athlete of excellence, a man of high moral perception and withal a leader among men, such were the qualities deemed unsurpassable by Cecil Rhodes when he so nobly bequeathed his vast fortune for the better education of the world. Qualities such as these are to be found only in such few men as that great benefactor himself, or among those old Greek heroes of whom we read in the legends. "When some one possessing these qualities appears among us, truly can we say "Here is a man." It is longsince a New Zealand Rhodes' Scholar qualified to such an extent in all these traits as the Scholar for 1922.

George Aitken entered Victoria University as a first year student with but a fresher's ordinary preeminence—a scholastic attainment unheeded by fellow students but a noticeably good athletic reputation. In his University course he has gained supreme honours' by a courageous application to work, by an aptitude in sport equalled in brilliance only by his modesty, and through the influence over all those with whom he has come in contact, of a moral suasion powerful because of its altruism, but doubly so by reason of its unassuming penetration.

In the attainment of Ms degree Mr. Aitken is not to be described as a brilliant scholar, but rather as an energetic and conscientious worker, exhibiting a marked originality and an aptitude for inspecting a subject from all points of view for the betterment of his own: a student who, loving sport, has applied himself to study with a vim equal to his love'of athletics. And is not this the true benefit to be derived from education? The increase of one's mental horizon corresponding to the fresh heights of learning scaled by the individual, attained by selfdenial. Mr. Aitken is a scholar of the true educationist type—one who studies man and his environment for the betterment of both. We cannot say that he has been a specialist in any particular branch of study, but we may rightly acclaim him a scholar who has imbibed all that is expected of an ideal citizen and this with entirely conscientious application to "Palma sine pulvere."

To be a scholar and an athlete is rare, but to be an excellent scholar and a brilliant athlete is a unique honour. In the latter role Mr. Aitken has without doubt proved himself superior, including among his activities all branches of sport. While being an excellent tennis player, a keen cricketer, a fine swimmer, a good rifle shot, he has been of invaluable asistance to the College as a runner and a hurdler at the Easter Inter'Varsity Tournament, while New Zealand herself can claim him'for her own as an exponent of the page 48 national game, Rugby Football. While a representative of the Colege in all these activities, it is as a footballer that the University has derived so much from his services. Among Rugby critics the reputation of the 'Varsity team has been one of intermittent brilliancy and weakness, mostly the latter—a team that perhaps has always had some good material but has been very unsteady. During the five years that Mr. Aitken has been connected with the Varsity Football Club the First XV has, mainly through his efforts and example and those of a small band of others, attained a position in the senior football of Wellington which has gained for it the admiration and goodwill of the public, and that friendly respect which is somewhat akin to fear of all its rival teams. Mr. Aitken having acquired the rudiments of the game on the West Coast of the South Tsland, where he represented his province at the early age of sixteen, came to College in 1917, and since then has played in the First XV, being the captain of the team for three years. Those who have been keen followers of the fortunes of our team will have noticed that its star has been in the ascendant contemporaneously with Mr. Aitken's own, an extremely significant fact. But his honours have not stopped with the team he has so faithfully served. A representative of Wellington province, New Zealand's Rugby stronghold, captain of the New Zealand Universities' representative team, he received his just reward in being selected to play for the All Blacks in 1921, and, above all, to captain that team against the redoubtable South African Springbok team. Never was service so faithfully rendered so appropriately rewarded.

But we'cannot pass by his distinction in athletics by mere reference to his successes on the field: it is in the sphere of sport off the field of glory that Mr. Aitken has proved himself to be more than a selfish athlete striving for fame—he has exhibited those qualities of management and leadership which always go towards making the true statesman, who considers the welfare of his country before Ms own. President of the Training College Students' Association, Chairman of the Haeremai Club, Captain of the Football Club, an executive member of the University Students' Association, and of the committees of the Tennis, Boxing, and Athletic Clubs—all these positions Mr. Aitken has filled nobly and well, and to each of these bodies has been a very strong acquisition. As a member of any committee he has that excellent power of fitting a part within the whole and of attuning the common mind to his own way of thinking —truly a powerful quality, and 'extremely fruitful when directed along the right channels. Surely as a director of man's thought and energy along the right course Cecil Rhodes could have had in mind no man better suited to adopt the leadership of a community than Mr. Aitken has proved himself to be. His powers of leadership as exhibited by the manner in which he has fulfilled the duties of many authoritative positions have been tremendous—their strength lies in that subtlety derived from strength of character, altruistic purpose and the modest Avay in which his leadership has been imposed.

We all know Mr. Aitken's possibilities, and it is because of this that we expect so much of him as a representative of our Alma Mater when he takes up his work at Oxford; but it is because of his charm and modest bearing that we extend to him our kindest thoughts and appreciation as he speeds across the seas, and our well wishes we skall continue to send him, in thought if not in word, not

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T.T. Aithen, Rhodes Scholar, 1922

T.T. Aithen, Rhodes Scholar, 1922

page 49

only in his times of triumph hut also in those periods of trouble which must occur as tests of strength in every man's life. May he return to New Zealand having acquired glory in the Mother country equal to that with which he is invested on his departure from the shores of New Zealand.

Scholastic.

Examination triumphs may possibly make up for ignominious experiences at the Easter Tournament. Seven Senior Scholarships at one fell swoop must be something of a record for V.U.C.—congratulations to all concerned! Very hearty congratulations also to Mr. J. Thompson, M.A., and Mr. R. H. Espiner, M.A., who have been granted free passages to Europe. Mr. Thompson took his degree at Otago, but has since the end of the war, in which he served with distinction, been a fine and muchappreciated lecturer in French at V.U.C. Mr. Espiner was very badly wounded in France, and although working under the most formidable disabilities has had a brilliant college career in languages. Those who know them know also that no men ever more thoroughly deserved the little honour we can give them—wherever they go, they will carry our interest and best wishes. Best wishes also to Miss E. A. Pope, M.Sc, who has been granted a free passage Home to carry out her work as the first Sarah Anne Rhodes Scholar. And congratulations to Miss Vera B. Reader, Sir George Grey Scholar for 1921, Mr. M.N. Rogers, National Research Scholar, and Mr. R. F. Fortune, who as awarded the Habens Prize.

Welcome.

"Welcome to our midst Mr. H. B. Tomlinson, M.A., as assistant to the Professor of English. Mr. Tomlinson is an old student of Otago University and is head of the French department at Wellington College; he is one of the few school teachers we ever came across who showed any interest in what he taught (apoloigies to T. C). The attitude of regarding the English language and literature as a living thing may well seem revolutionary at V.U.C; but anyone who can put life into the corpse has our profound gratitude. We hope Mr. Tomlinson will work the miracle.

Shackleton—A Link with V.U.C.

It is with a certain thrill that one reads that Shackleton treasured in his memory the lines from our own V.U.C. Sports Chorus:—

"Then here's to the long white road that beckons,
The climb that baffles, the risk that nerves,
And here's to the merry heart that reckons
The rough with the smooth, and never swerves."

Truly they are lines which characterise the spirit of the whole of his ardous and courageous life; one feels proud that a snatch of song from these far shores should be so carried all over the world. It may be that in the future V.U.C. will have more and greater treasures to offer to all men; we should at least see in the present that we do not let those that we have and the tradition associated with them perish for want of memory and interest. Turn up The Old Clay Patch" again and read through the rest of S.S M.

page 50

Building Operations.

Hitherto when contemplating the ignoble pile of our College building we have shared the feelings of the poet, who addressed himself:—

"Build thee more stately mansions, o my soul!"

But now two new wings rear themselves proudly on either side of the nucleus which housed the aspirations of so many past students. It is'rumoured that there is to be a Grand Opening Ceremony and general celebrations at the end of the term, which will no doubt be fully reported in "The Spike." We therefore leave further description and admiration till then.—A still small voice whispers cautiously, "Now, about that Residential College...."

Once Again the Library.

We have received from an esteemed and publicspirited correspondent ("G. AW.") a suggestion for the better employment of the vacant space on the floor of the New Library. "Why waste such dinky floor space?" she asks. "Every now and then, at a sign from the Chair, let us rise Silently, dance 'a la Cabaret' to vague music wafted down from the Psych, lab., then resume our work.' The idea has our sympatic and is accordingly passed on for approval of other light footed maidens and the Professorial Board.