NECESSITY'S CHILD

There is one most important and encouraging feature in the plan for limiting enrolment just published by the Committee on Admissions. The enrolment is limited. Excluding dropped Freshmen, the number of candidates to be admitted to the College and Engineering School will not exceed 1000. This is surely a large number, larger than the record breaking one last fall. Large enough to prevent any accusation of narrowness.

Possibly 1000 was chosen as a number unlikely to be reached. It is indeed a question whether after admitting the "one seventh" without examination and those who past examinations with an average unquestionably good whether among the remaining candidates there will be enough of sufficient ability to fill up the quota, "so far as it may be advantageously filled." Probably the rule for limitation as now laid down will prove entirely satisfactory as long as among the candidates for admission the percentage of good, average, and poor scholars remains approximately as at present. But it is worthy of note that no provision is made for a different future. Should the percentage of good average scholars rise, or should the percentage remain static and the number of well qualified candidates rise to a point beyond 1000 how would the College limit? From today's report nothing can be guessed on that score, and in a measure the program fails in farsightedness. Yet no doubt the framers of the plan were wise not to look too far ahead.

Concerning the individual points in the plan little can be offered but commendation. The clause that forbids the carrying of entrance conditions will work good to both undergraduate and office. The clause insisting that the record of a boy to be admitted without examinations must conform in every respect to the prescriptions of the New Plan is essential for fairness and uniformity. The slight gain in strength for the classics may be calculated almost to bring tears of gratitude to the eyes of those who believe that no education is complete without them.

Interesting in more ways than one is the provision concerning examinations in English composition. If faithfully adhered to it will guarantee the continuance of Harvard as a university for Americans. The foreign student is of course allowed for, but not the hyphen.

Previous to the publication of this plan there was some criticism and not a little mockery. There had been, said many, plans and plans, new plans and more plans. But this program is of a slightly different genus. Its forerunners were framed to meet changing ideas of education. This one was formulated to meet necessity. The College in general, and the Committee in particular, can only be congratulated on meeting that grim dragon courageously and diplomatically.