COURSES AND THE DIVISIONALS

One of the topics which came up for discussion at the "educational conference" held at the Liberal Club last month was, naturally enough, the impending divisional examination. The student participators in the discussion expressed some dissatisfaction because they had discovered that the customary succession of hour examinations reports, mid-years and weekly tests made adequate preparation for the general examinations in the spring impossible.

It may be recalled that when we were first informed of this new plan for testing the efficacy of Harvard training, we were given the impression that to pass these divisionals would require fairly constant work during the Senior year. It was, of course, suggested that the summer vacation would be the ideal time for such study. But since for the average Senior this was either physically or temperamentally impossible, the suggestion, however, logical, was not altogether practical. The fact remains that most of us find ourselves, even at this late date, endeavoring to fit into an already crowded schedule the necessary extra time. Nor do the students alone realize this difficulty. At that December discussion two members of the faculty raised the question whether, since it is assumed that the Senior is already doing all the work he can handle, he can be expected to undertake the additional task of reviewing the work of four years and filling in the gaps between the concentration courses which he has taken.

Granting, for the sake of argument, that there is justice in this criticism, how are we to relieve the pressure? To most of the students at the meeting this seemed a very simple matter. The trouble is, they explained, that the interruptions caused by hour and weekly examinations make it impossible for the Senior to organize his works he would like. Eliminate all but the mid-year examinations and the difficulty would be removed.

This sounds like a perfect remedy. But it seems a little too delightfully simple; for one thing it assumes as common an ability for organization possessed only by the high scholar. Furthermore it does not recognize the fact that hour exams and weekly tests, however annoying they may be at the time, do not appreciably increase the total work required in a course. A certain amount of studying must be done; from one point of view it makes little difference whether it be done in lumps or all at once.

Say what you will of the advantage of allowing the Senior more liberty in planing his work, that does not alter the fact that examinations can not be eliminated without eliminating the courses. If it is thought worth while, in the interest of divisionals, to free the upperclassmen of the restrictions of routine, there seems to be but one means available; reduce the number of courses required of the Senior taking a divisional. The system of courses is of necessity inconsistent with the ideal of complete freedom of study.