Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume. 33, Number 10. 8 July, 1970

The University

The University

There are several objections to the university: its education, its atmosphere, and the fact that it is a corporate body, of which every student and lecturer forms a part, thus bound with the world in a worldly gathering. The objection to education is fairly obvious: children, if taught to think, arc likely to start questioning the way of life they have been brought up in. Usually, sect children are compelled to leave school at the age of fifteen and begin working, preferably for a member of the Exclusive Brethren. In the sect member's employ, they will be carefully watched for signs of discontent. If a person stays at school beyond the age of fifteen, his or her parents may have a fair amount of explaining to do. University education is all but out of the question now. There arc a few members of the sect who obtained degrees in the good old days when a university education was allowed. Two of these sect members were secondary school teachers in Wellington—Mary Campion at Wellington High School and Robert Bradley at Wellington College. Both of these teachers tried to dissuade me from attending university. Mary Campion wrote to me in February 1969, just three days after I had left home to go to university, asking "What is this I hear you have done?? Needless to say I feel deeply concerned for your welfare ... I fear lest you make a wrong decision that may lead to the loss of all that is truly life."

Inside 'the Churchill Drive Hall' at Crofton Downs. This first and the last time you'll ever see an Exclusive Brethren meeting in action. A member of the congregation has just all at the back to pursue our photographer, John Eastcott. About two hours after Mr Eastcott returned to his home who was identified as a member of the Brethren by Cecily Pinker rang the Eastcott home and enquired whether the Eastcott bad been driving was for sale. The caller was told that the car was not for sale. Mr Eastcott hasn't had any .

Inside 'the Churchill Drive Hall' at Crofton Downs. This [ unclear: fir]st and the last time you'll ever see an Exclusive Brethren meeting in action. A member of the congregation has jus [ unclear: t] all at the back to pursue our photographer, John Eastcott. About two hours after Mr Eastcott returned to his hom [ unclear: e] who was identified as a member of the Brethren by Cecily Pinker rang the Eastcott home and enquired whether t [ unclear: he] Eastcott bad been driving was for sale. The caller was told that the car was not for sale. Mr Eastcott hasn't had any [ gap — reason: illegible].

When I let it be known that I wished to attend university, I was immediately refused permission. When I persisted in my plea, various members of the sect tried to talk me out of it. The two secondary school teachers went to great lengths here. The fact that I did not know for sure what sort of career I would take up hardly helped matters. When I went back to school for 6A, the question of sect members taking university courses started to crop up at meetings of the Brethren. My case was never referred to in particular but Robert Bradley once got very worked up in a meeting over what was clearly my 'case'. Even my mother conceded that it was me that Bradley was referring to.