Dean Shaler's Report.

Dean Shaler's report of the Lawrence Scientific School for the past year deals chiefly with the effect of increased admission requirements upon the attendance at the School. The decrease of attendance which was expected to follow the somewhat rapid annual addition to entrance examinations has not come about. On the contrary, in the present year the gain in registration has exceeded that of any year since 1893.

In recognition of the fact that the increased admission requirements make it difficult for the greater number of public schools to prepare pupils for admission, masters of the schools which have sent candidates, have been invited to conferences held in 1897 and 1901. The masters agreed in 1897 that the increase in requirements would be beneficial; and at the conference in 1901 were still in favor of a gradual increase. To meet the difficulty of insufficient equipment which many high schools encounter in preparing pupils in certain branches of science, the Lawrence Scientific School has been trying an interesting experiment with "specials." Admission to the class of specials is restricted to those who wish to engage in a particular study, without seeking a degree, or to those who could not obtain adequate preparation to pass the full admission requirements.

The School is much in need of better quarters for the Department of Chemistry, the lack of which will prove a serious hindrance to the development of the School.

At present more than half of the students enrolled in departments of the School are from the College or the Graduate School. Owing to the fact that the College and the Scientific School have many courses in common, some College men are able to transfer to the School at the end of their third year; to take their degree in Arts at the end of their fourth year, and that in Science at the end of their fifth year at the University. This arrangement overcomes the difficulty of beginning professional life at a too advanced age.