PREPARATION AND CRAMMING

The decision of the College Entrance Examination Board to attempt to revise their English examination indicates a renewed spirit of change in a body which was rapidly becoming entrenched in the traditions of a none too liberal past. It is especially fortunate that the change is contemplated in those examinations that deal with English, chiefly because they are most frequently required. Under the present system there are several rather obvious faults which would warrant careful consideration on the part of this committee.

The foremost difficulty with this present system is that, unlike the other College Board Entrance examinations, it is given in two forms; the comprehensives and the old plan yearly tests. The contention of the board that the comprehensives are too difficult may be true in the light of the large number of men entering under this plan forced to take English A1. However, the quality of writing done by the Freshman class does not indicate an over-abundance of knowledge in this subject. On the other hand, the old plan examinations with their annual doses are so narrow in their scope that they actually represent very little of the candidate's ability.

As is the case with most entrance difficulties, it again seems necessary to lay the blame at the door of the secondary schools. In preparing men for these examinations they focus their attention on the final test rather than on an actual foundation in the fundamentals of English. The most plausible solution that presents itself seems to be in offering an examination in the more basic aspects of the subject, thus demanding that the preparatory schools focus their attention on providing a substantial background; and leaving to the college the problem of providing the more advanced work. As it is at present, the preparation for the college entrance tests provides too many men with a superficial knowledge of the subject without affording the elementary tools with which to handle their information.