Poetry as a preparation for life

March 30, 2007

The distinguished poet and literary scholar Julian Croft presented the Occasional Address today at the third of four Autumn Graduation ceremonies at the University of New England.

Professor Croft (pictured here), who gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1960, contrasted the time he spent on the "leisurely, generalist degree" of his "late 'teens" with today's world, in which "we work harder than the previous generation to supply ourselves with lifestyle choices we scarcely have time to utilise".

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, he said, "the commonly held view was that in the coming decades automation and high technology would significantly reduce working hours, and consequently there was a need to educate people to enjoy their increased leisure in the most fulfilling way". Today, however, the prevailing view was that "such resources should be committed to training for more and more productivity from each individual worker".

Speaking to graduands from UNE's Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, he emphasised the importance of generalist degree programs. "Perhaps," he said, "when we have adjusted to climate change and the limits of economic growth, we will find again that it is not necessarily bigger houses and the anxiety of too many choices that make for happier lives, but rather time – time for reflection and thought. There is no doubt we need training to acquire skills and to carry out work, but we need education to fit us for life." Speaking of his own pursuit of poetry, he said: "If you're preparing for a job, poetry would come very low on your list of necessary subjects to study, but if you're preparing for life – intellectual life – it's a very important part of that preparation."

Professor Croft concluded by observing that UNE had been "a refuge for nearly 70 years for the young and the old to find themselves by pursuing their own intellectual curiosities for a short time outside the very demanding pressures of modern life and work".

Julian Croft's latest collection of poetry – Ocean Island – was published in Melbourne in 2006. He was a member of the academic staff at UNE from 1970 to 2001, and is now an Emeritus Professor at the University.

The Chancellor of UNE, Mr John Cassidy, in his opening remarks, also contrasted the relatively uncomplicated life of 40 years ago with the potentially bewildering array of choices in today's world. He assured the graduands, however, that life can be simple – "particularly if you have a dream and a direction".

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Pettigrew, presented two Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Excellence in Learning and Teaching. One went to Dr Jennifer McDonell, a UNE English Lecturer. Professor Pettigrew said Dr McDonell was "an innovative, versatile and flexible teacher" whose "distinctive contribution" had included – among other things – "intellectual rigour and imagination", and who had been "a pioneer in the development of fully online units within the School of English, Communication and Theatre".

The other award went to the team of Associate Professor Matthew Dillon and Associate Professor Lynda Garland from the discipline of Ancient History. "Their scholarly activities have had an international influence on the development of curricula and resources that in turn have influenced and enhanced learning and teaching at UNE and far beyond," Professor Pettigrew said. Internationally recognised for their textbooks and research publications, he said, they were able "to challenge their students intellectually, and to support them academically".

About 550 people graduated from the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences this autumn. Of these, about 250 were able to attend today's ceremony. Tomorrow's ceremony – the last of the four – will be for people graduating from the Faculty of Economics, Business and Law.

THE PHOTOGRAPH of Emeritus Professor Julian Croft displayed here, taken at today's graduation ceremony, expands to include Dr Jennifer McDonell, who received a Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Learning and Teaching.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at March 30, 2007 06:47 PM