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SMAD. An Organ of Student Opinion. 1934. Volume 5. Number 1.

University with a Capital "U."

University with a Capital "U."

Dear Sir,

I thank you forgiving me the opportunity of deriding "Studentissimus." Victoria is no place for that superlative individual. Our student of of students should be cloistered in a university where he may imbibe deep draughts of the true university spirit. Victoria is no such place.

I fear that there are very few universities if his definition be the criterion. There are, of course, many institutions of higher learning where professional, vocational, courses, such as engineering, medicine, architecture, law and even accountancy, are available, but where are the universities? Apparently they are in those places where knowledge is pursued for her own sake, where that sublime pastime is not degraded by the contact of Philistines who aspire to sell their knowledge for pence. Your arts student or your science student has no place there if he ever hopes to set himself to toil and claim a salary on the strength of his qualification.

This disposes of quite a number of people, including some Professors. There are very few people left. They—and they alone—are students of a university.

Sir, I would suggest that "Studentissimus" is a romantic dreamer. The glamorous tales of old world universities have set him to construct an ideal place where students, becomingly begowned, move with solemn dignity in a cathedral-like edifice discussing the more abstruse metaphysic—aloof from everything mundane.

Now, my university isn't so. It is an institution in Society. It is built in the world of fact, not in dreamland, and its function is to serve the community by leading it. In its economic life society sorely needs trained, intelligent leadess—men with breadth of view and depth of vision, and that impartial judgment which the university life can give.

This is why the New Zealand Society of Accountants is anxious that its members should not be content with passing the Accountancy Professional Examination only, but should proceed with the B.Com. degree course, and, indeed, go further than that, by taking their whole course at the university college.

It is a fetish with some people to exclude vocational courses and part-time students from the uni- page 10 versity colleges. Their university is a myth. They draw a ring round themselves and proceed to elevate themselves in their own esteem by saving to those outside it, "We only are students. You have no place with us." Precisely the same mental process which actuates the social climber in fostering and aggravating class distinctions in order to hoist herself up by the shoe-laces on a ladder of her own making.

I'll leave it at that.

Portior.

Dear "Smad,"

The following Executive activities are reported for the information of your readers:—

(1) Acting on a recommendation from the Annual General Meeting of the Association last year, the Students' Building Committee has been reappointed and has resumed its work. The members of the Committee are Professor G. H. Gould (representing the Professorial Board), Messrs S. Eichelbaum (College Council), W. P. Rollings, G. F. Dixon, and W. Perry (representing past students), R. J. Nankervis (Students' Association), C. S. Plank, and S. H. Perry (present students).

(2) Mr. R. J. Larkin has been appointed Editor of "Smad."

(3) The Students' Association has been granted permission to continue their management of the Cafeteria during the coming session. The Cafeteria Committer has made some slight alterations in the Cafeteria, and has further improvements in view.

(4) Three original Capping Revues have been received and a fourth is expected shortly. A committee is being appointed to select Revues for production, and rehearsals will commence immediately after the Easter vacation.

(5) A new supply of College Ties has been ordered. These are being specially manufactured in England, and delivery is expected sometime this month. It is hoped that they will arrive in time for Tournament.

(6) A fairly large sum of money has been spent recently on repairs to the Gymnasium building. The work done has included replacement of broken windows, covering windows with heavy wire netting, improvements in the kitchen and repairs to roof, etc.

(7) A further grant of £20 has been allotted to the Cricket Club to cover certain unavoidable expenditure not allowed for in their original estimates.

(8) Miss Julia M. Dunn and Messrs R. J. Larkin and R. M. Barrer have been appointed delegates to the Annual Meeting of the N.U.S. at Christchurch at Easter.

(9) A grant of 12/6 is being made to the expenses of Tournament representatives travelling to Christchurch at Easter.

(10) Mr. C.N. Watson has been appointed Capping Book Editor for 1934. Students are urged to submit articles and sketches immediately to the Editor so that our Capping Book may be even better than those of recent years.

Yours faithfully,

D. M. Burns,

Hon. Secretary, V.U.C.S.A.