The 40s
"In addition, I believe that every child in Newfoundland or elsewhere should have equality in educational opportunity. Such a belief does not mean a High School in every small settlement. The erection of Regional schools desirable from many viewpoints means enormous expense, and a surrounding of other obstacles well nigh insuperable. The University can be the centre of that equalising oportunity. The expenditure involved in sending yearly to a university, the boys and girls on a selective basis suited for university study, would be far less than any other plan of which I have knowledge.
There are in our country many opportunities for expansion in accordance with our own particular needs, and in keeping with a policy of conservation and development of our own natural resources. Only recently we became aware of our shortage in engineers. For several years now we have had annually many Newfoundland engineering students graduating from Canadian universities and all these young men have found work in the land of their adoption. We may not be able to offer the larger fields of Canada or of the United States. We certainly do possess certain possibilities which hitherto we have negected, if not ignored." Hon. S.J. Hefferton (Minister of Education), The second reading of a Bill An Act Respecting the University of Newfoundland.