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Book Review: The University as the New Church

Book Review: The University as the New Church Book Reviews Barnes, Hazel E., The University as the New Church. London: Watts and Co., 1970. Pp. 198. Stg.75/-. "This book is about the University as it is and as it might be"-what an admirable first sentence! It promises critical assessment of reality, challenging visions of what might be. Professor Barnes gives us both; admittedly in an American context, where the realities are harsher, the problems more daunting than in the lucky country; but so are the visions larger, the examples more compelling. The book begins by pointing out how the University has inherited the role of the Church in guiding men's actions, their values, goals, and methods. It has also inherited some privileges of the role-certain immunities and independence from some of society's constraints. A host of detailed parallels reinforces the comparison. Professor Barnes then diagnoses the major ills of contemporary universities; the emphasis is American, but the symptoms are recognizable here: the dead wood in curricula, incompetence in teaching methods, favour to the conforming student, injustice in assessment, rejection of the highest brilliance, neglect of society's deprived groups-these are identified boldly and astringently. So are the attitudes of various groups of staff and students towards these ills. Some see no ills, and dismiss all complaints as malicious and baseless; some want reform within the system; some want totally to reconstruct the system, with a new set of social goals. The aims and difficulties of the radical groups are drawn with an admirable blend of sympathy and criticism; surely one of the finest things universities-stodgy old conventional universities-do is to produce the mind and attitudes of Professor Barnes and her like. Whether one be traditionalist or radical, here one finds one's views assessed thoroughly and impartially; it is impossible to read the book without thinking a great deal, without continuing to think long after it ends-about the aims and nature of the university, about student revolt, about the university in society. Nor is this all analysis. There are constructive proposals for reforming the university, for containing its explosive pressures. Willingness to communicate and to listen; willingness to experiment and to accept the risks of experiment; new types of institution with varying standards for varying purposes; a real students' share in governance. These are not expressed as pious generalities but in a series of practical examples. This is the book for Vice-Chancellors and lecturers, for those who devise programs and those who teach them, for all those concerned for and responsible for tertiary education, for all those who care about "the university as it is and as it might be". R. JOHNSON Department of Classics A.ustralian National University THE AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION-VOL. 15, NO. 2 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Australian Journal of Education SAGE

Book Review: The University as the New Church

Australian Journal of Education , Volume 15 (2): 1 – Jun 1, 1971

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Publisher
SAGE
Copyright
© 1971 Australian Council for Educational Research
ISSN
0004-9441
eISSN
2050-5884
DOI
10.1177/000494417101500209
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Book Reviews Barnes, Hazel E., The University as the New Church. London: Watts and Co., 1970. Pp. 198. Stg.75/-. "This book is about the University as it is and as it might be"-what an admirable first sentence! It promises critical assessment of reality, challenging visions of what might be. Professor Barnes gives us both; admittedly in an American context, where the realities are harsher, the problems more daunting than in the lucky country; but so are the visions larger, the examples more compelling. The book begins by pointing out how the University has inherited the role of the Church in guiding men's actions, their values, goals, and methods. It has also inherited some privileges of the role-certain immunities and independence from some of society's constraints. A host of detailed parallels reinforces the comparison. Professor Barnes then diagnoses the major ills of contemporary universities; the emphasis is American, but the symptoms are recognizable here: the dead wood in curricula, incompetence in teaching methods, favour to the conforming student, injustice in assessment, rejection of the highest brilliance, neglect of society's deprived groups-these are identified boldly and astringently. So are the attitudes of various groups of staff and students towards these ills. Some see no ills, and dismiss all complaints as malicious and baseless; some want reform within the system; some want totally to reconstruct the system, with a new set of social goals. The aims and difficulties of the radical groups are drawn with an admirable blend of sympathy and criticism; surely one of the finest things universities-stodgy old conventional universities-do is to produce the mind and attitudes of Professor Barnes and her like. Whether one be traditionalist or radical, here one finds one's views assessed thoroughly and impartially; it is impossible to read the book without thinking a great deal, without continuing to think long after it ends-about the aims and nature of the university, about student revolt, about the university in society. Nor is this all analysis. There are constructive proposals for reforming the university, for containing its explosive pressures. Willingness to communicate and to listen; willingness to experiment and to accept the risks of experiment; new types of institution with varying standards for varying purposes; a real students' share in governance. These are not expressed as pious generalities but in a series of practical examples. This is the book for Vice-Chancellors and lecturers, for those who devise programs and those who teach them, for all those concerned for and responsible for tertiary education, for all those who care about "the university as it is and as it might be". R. JOHNSON Department of Classics A.ustralian National University THE AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION-VOL. 15, NO. 2

Journal

Australian Journal of EducationSAGE

Published: Jun 1, 1971

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