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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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Now, I am not going to speak of those intangible, social and other advantages which those who have passed through the University of Oxford can never forget, but I draw particular attention to the reference to professional education because it strikes me it is there the difficulty will be felt by many Colonial Universities. I naturally speak for my own University in Montreal, which, I would like to say with all deference to the Vice-Chancellor and my Oxford friends, is not likely to send any student to Oxford who is going-say-into the profession of engineering. I think that will at once be under- stood as the obvious results of conditions in a University which enjoys special endow- ments and whose equipment probably is almost unique. I want to impress that very emphatically, and here again I am not forgetting the interests of my friends on the other side of the line. It would be an advantage on the Continent of America if this offer to Oxford, with the additional attraction of the Rhodes' bequest, prevents what I sincerely deprecate, and that is the tendency of education in the Colonies to over-haste, and rush into professional activity. There is no feature which, I think, is more regrettable, and yet easily explainable, in new countries, than the way in which young men rush into professional work before they have received a sufficiently liberal as distinct from a professional education. In my district that is curing itself, although we had to regret for a time the fact that people went out with a Degree of Bachelor of Applied Science, of whom one could not say with confidence that they were liberally educated. That is being mended every day, and it resulted from a state of things which I am sure is not peculiar to Canada alone,—a state of things which is obviously natural in all new countries. The call for the energies of young men is so loud and imperative that they cannot afford to spend such an excessive amount of time upon what we call liberal education, and therefore they have to rush into professional work to enable them to earn their bread and butter. That, of course, is perfectly natural. welcome the Rhodes' bequest because it will bribe, it will induce by a very important money consideration, young men both in the Colonies, and, if I may say so again, in the United States of America, to defer entering upon professional work which I at present think is too early taken up. And if it does no greater benefit than that, I am sure we shall have every reason to welcome it, but I speak upon that point because I do not want my friends from Oxford opposite to be surprised when I state that my expectations that Canadian students will go to Oxford for three years, either for the ordinary course, or on a shortened period of residence, and will return to their own University for their post-graduate course. That is my expectation of the way in which this will work out for the general student who is induced by the attractions of the Rhodes' bequest to take up a period of residence at Oxford, and no one will more sin- cerely rejoice than those for whom I think I may claim to speak, if it should work out in that way, and restrain them to some extent, and in some respects, from We do not want, of course, to minimise the what I call immature professionalism.

I think my Colonial colleagues advantage of the post-graduate course at Oxford.

To will wish to ask, what is it that Oxford has to offer in this post-graduate work? my mind, the most interesting part of the offer is that which connects with the renowned school of history and economics, subjects which bear in the most conspicuous way on the training of young men in the Colonies for a political career, which I gather to mean a career in any shape or form that may enable a man to be a better citizen, and to take part in the public work of his particular State. That remark I wish to interpolate at this point, although it might have been better if one had only waited, my lord, until you had allowed the representatives of Oxford to set out the points which have occurred to them under the heads of A, B, and C, but I wish at once, at least from one Colony, that an expression should go forth of warm appreciation as regards the possibility of a closer connection between the University of Oxford and the Universities which we represent here.

The VICE-CHANCELLOR: That is an excellent suggestion, that there should be a careful memorandum drawn up stating all the facts about the admission of Colonial students to Oxford. Mention has been made about gowns, but there is no distinction made in the arrangements at Oxford. As soon as a student has matriculated he is entitled to wear his gown. There is no distinction as a matter of fact between one class of student and another. At present the information is to Be found in the Univer- sity Statute, which is framed in a rather technical form and is not intelligible outside the University, and sometimes, even within it. But a better plan has been suggested, that' a' memorandum should be prepared.

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The EARL OF ONSLOW: You would be quite prepared to have such a inemorandum drawn up and submit it?

The VICE-CHANCELLOR: We are perfectly willing to prepare it.

The EARL OF ONSLOW: I do not know whether there is anybody here who would like to bring forward or make any suggestions as to the addition of any University to the list of privileged Universities printed on the Agenda Paper?

LORD GRENFELL: I hear that it is proposed to send the same letter as to the Rhodes bequest to all the various Agents of the Crown Colonies. I should like to ask on behalf of the Island which I represent, whether it would be possible to extend this privilege to Malta? The youths at Malta begin their University career at a very early age, as you are aware. It is a Catholic University, but I have always found, and there has always been found, a desire on the part of the educational authorities to assist the young men of Malta in coming to England to perfect their education, and although Malta is not mentioned in this correspondence, I should be anxious to ask whether it would be possible, under any circumstances, that Malta might take a part of this University education.

As regards finances, I have never found it difficult to pass through the Council of Malta any grant for the assistance of the education of youths who come to England or to other countries to perfect their education. We take advantage of the Oxford Local Exami- nations, and the name of Oxford is fully appreciated in the Island of Malta, and I should be anxious to ask you, sir, if it would be possible, under any circumstances, to add the University of Malta to the other Universities which are able to take advan- tage of this great benefit.

Mr. GERRANS: Perhaps I might read again the clause in the University Statute:"Any University situate in any part of the British dominions other than the United Kingdom, may apply to this University to be admitted to the privileges of this section of the Statute." So that it remains for the University of Malta to make application in the usual way.

LORD GRENFELL: To make application. Thank you very much.

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Mr. PELHAM: Perhaps I might be allowed to say something with reference to what has fallen from Principal Peterson and Mr. Pember Reeves. I think all of us who have come from Oxford are glad to find that on one point, at any rate, we are in agreement, and that is, that you gentlemen would wish that the Colonial students who come to Oxford should not be boys who come straight from school, but should be older

persons who have already had some University training in their own Colonies. think I may say for all of us from Oxford that that is the view we hold, and that is the view which is generally held throughout Oxford. It is much better that we should have to deal with more advanced students. So far as our present arrangements go, I would only deal with one point, the point raised by Mr. Peterson. affects those students who have come to us under the clause of this Statute, which makes it possible for them after they have spent three years in their own Universities, and taken Honours, to come up to us, and without passing any Intermediate examini- That tion, after two years' residence, to enter the final Honours examination.

that they have as an education

different choice between our schools. They may take the classical schools, or study history, or law, or physical science or mathematics. And those schools I think very fully cover the ground included in a good general education. Of course, some of these schools no doubt may need improvement, but on the whole, I think experience has shown that they form a very fair course of preparation for the ordinary student. Then comes the question which is becoming a very pressing one, to what extent can the University give its help either towards the smaller number of students who wish to become students in the real sense-to undertake research--or the much larger number who propose entering a profession. As regards the smaller number, it is open to them to study for the Degrees of Bachelor of Letters, and Bachelor of Science, Degrees which have been comparatively recently founded, and which involve no examinations, but the prosecution of a certain line of research, and the preparation of a dissertation as the result of it, which is judged satisfactory. What number of students from outside this island will take that course, it is impossible to say. Of those who take it at present, the majority come from within the British Isles, but a considerable number have come from the United States; not many, I think,*

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