Lectures Overrated

Obviously the present reliance placed on lectures must go. Lectures as conceived in a modern university suffer from all the faults of mass production and of insistence on "accurate memorising rather than wide rending and original thought." The student in a lecture has no time for thought; he is usually only concerned to write everything down, assuming that in them he will find the bulk of his material. In place of the present lecture system Moberly envisages much fewer lectures, well-prepared and delivered, designed only to light up the more general aspects of the subject. Courses of lectures by great teachers also will, he thinks, be a tremendous stimulus. The tutorial system must be improved upon and enlarged. The real value of a tutor is not strictly as a coach, but rather as a source of inspiration capable of producing an effervescence in the student's mind. "Real life is meeting." If real life is meeting, the corporate life of the university will play an important part in exciting intellectual interest. At present only a small minority takes any real part in corporate life. The majority meet only on a trivilian plane; they experience no "epoch making change or mental enlargement" on entering a typical university. The solution here is obviously to make strenuous attempts to build up some corporate life within the university, or to build hostels.

Hostels are not automatically a panacea. Often their intellectual and cultural value is nil. They can be "devoid of any cultural influence, their tone boorish and philistine, hostile to sensitiveness and originality. In their daily life there is much dull routine varied by horse play. Undeniably, the whole atmosphere of these halls militates against a full student life and the development of personality." This is a real danger. But a good hostel can provide just the opportunities of meeting which we so much need; it can be a place which in its communion and fellowship encourages the birth and discovery of ideas, "diffusing a distinctive atmosphere which is morally and intellectually stimulating.' Moberly draws attention to the importance of a good warden. It is essential that the warden shall himself "care passionately for the things of the mind" and be able to encourage and participate in the intellectual life. He should be able to act as a friend, and if possible, an inspiration to students. Probably the wardenship is best as mainly full time with some slight academic duties. Such a hostel, providing it is careful not to defeat its ends; provided, that is, that it does not allow itself to become separated from the community or from reality, is a desirable adjunct to the university.