Social Monasticism.

We can start with little things such as consciously abolishing class room segregation and conversing with those of the opposite sex around us; sitting down at a table with two strange girls (I speak as a man; the converse applies) eating in the cafeteria and presuming that they can make intelligent conversation, not necessarily, to start off with, about the ethics of contraception; I advocate good taste evolution, not revolution! We can aim to persuade college authorities in our monistic hostels to allow much more freedom. After all why cannot students bring their girl-friends home to supper at colleges after an evening out? Mixed supper parties of from two to any number, and not controlled by the clock, would greatly help to civilize college life and raise the tone of conversation and individual behaviour, which in general is still at an adolescent level, Female gossip circles and male slag parties will not die out but they most certainly do not help to develop social graces or individual personality. Female intrusion into male college dining-halls would be looked upon to-day as sacrilege . . . custom dies hard, even when "has no sound foundation in the present. There are many such written and unwritten rules which do more harm than good.

I am fully aware that many of us prefer things as they are because we fear any complications. Our boorish social monasticism is most convenient. We are too shortsighted to see that the sooner the sexes learn to understand one another, and to face up to the problems that may arise, the less serious will later complications, emotional, physical and social, be It is easy to see why women are not allowed in men's colleges and vice versa (except at special limes in an artificial atmosphere) The powers that be fear firstly possible sexual immorality and secondly what people might say. And yet men if they like, can stay out all night and women ore given late leave. Rules preventing natural social intercourse in colleges will certainly not reduce immorality. No Wellington winter con cool young blood! Students are much less likely to go to bed together in their college rooms than to follow cupid into Kelburn Park Our elders should realise that sound principles, not closed doors, ore the only aids to moral behaviour.