The Purpose of Halls

The case for residential halls was discussed under four sections.

1. The need for accommodation.

For students to obtain a higher education in most fields, they must attend a University. Arriving at a University centre, a student was faced with the problem of finding somewhere to live.

The alternatives open to him: private board, flats, or Halls of Residence. Which type would best promote the true ends of a University education?

The modern university system, with its specialization, has aimed at producing highly trained men and women in limited and individual fields. Modern degree courses were not designed to provide a general, balanced education. The result of this was the production of a large number of "uneducated experts" surely an undesirable situation.

Despite the effectiveness of sporting, social and club activities in remedying this, there was nothing comparable to the community life of the Hall of Residence.

2. The need for personality and character development.

A question arose here. Was the University responsible for the general development of the character and personality of its students? Certainly this was someone's possibility. N.Z. Universities had in the past tended to limit themselves to academic pursuits, and the University was probably at its best when attending to its own task. But students were subject to all sorts of controls, guidance and discipline in their academic studies.

Why should they not require this in the field of character and personality development — a much more fundamental and important aspect of their lives? Such guidance was no more an Interference with personal liberty than guidance in academic studies.