THE TRAINED COLLEGE MAN

Its practicality lifts from the forest of educational faddism the experiment on college students just concluded by Professor Edward S. Jones, professor of psychology at the University of Buffalo Thirty-two high school graduates who had been admitted to college, but were ranked in the lowest two fifths of their high school classes, were given four weeks of intensive preparation for the business of being a college student.

The nature of this training is worthy of examination, for one finds there gathered the bogies that have haunted the freshman's courses. Particular attention was given to the problem of note-taking. The groups were drilled in rapid reading: a corresponding growth in the assimilative powers was verified by tests. Lectures were given on habits, attentiveness, mental hygiene, memorizing, and choosing a vocation. The results that the grade of this group in intelligence examinations has been raised, and that the group is seventy-five percent successful in college and is on the up grade are interpreted as twin justifications of the scheme.

It is a novelty for the American college to make such definite adjustment to the secondary school's preparation, but Mohammed had shown no signs of coming to the mountain, and the mountain must needs move. In examinations for college the I. Q. and the scholastic aptitude test have their place, but none of these tell whether the freshman possesses a knowledge of note taking and a scholarly disclaim of the historical anecdote. The plan of the University of Buffalo at least prepares the unequipped before their hour is at hand.