The truth about Essex
Sir : The truth about Essex is that a lot of lies (unintentionally, no doubt) have been told by ill-informed and prejudiced people such as George Assinder (Letters, 31 May) and Stuart Maclure ('University challenge,' 31 May).
It is hard to believe that Mr Assinder 'mixtd equally' with students when he holds such condescending and antagonistic views as he expressed in his letter.
What evidence has he for the sweeping generalisation that 'the best of our grammar schools and public schools want to go to Oxbridge, London or Redbrick?' How does he explain Oxbridge's anxiety over the drop in applications from the grammar schools in recent years, which they say is due to the growth of the new universities? How does he explain the fact that some courses at Essex are fourteen times oversubscribed? Is this a case of the larger quantity of second-rate students unable to make the grade elsewhere? Hardly—more likely a case of 'the best' knowing that many modern subjects such as sociology and com- parative government are best taught (and some- times only taught) at the new universities.
It is precisely because of the type of educa- tion obtained at the new universities that students are questioning the existing order of society. A social science education encourages liberal and enlightened views which allows for (and indeed requires) active participation in the changing of society. If Mr Assinder thinks that this is an unhealthy tendency, then, of course, the development of the social sciences should be slowed down, or stopped completely, which is what Mr Maclure seems to be advo- cating.
But if this analysis is correct, the fault for the present 'troubles' lies with bodies such as the UGC and ultimately the Government, over which we second-rate students (as yet) have no control. Blame them, not us.
S. H. Leslie University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester
Previous page
