LANGUAGE EXAMS BEING TAKEN BY FEWER STUDENTS

This fall there was a decided drop in the number of men taking language examinations, it was shown by figures recently made public at University Hall. The percentage of men passing the various French, German, Latin, and Greek examinations was consistently low, as it has been ever since the system of language tests was inaugurated.

Last September 710 examinations were taken by students, as compared with 920 in the fall of 1929, 862 in 1928, and 1169 in September, 1925, during which academic year the system providing for the passing off of language requirements with the attainment of certain marks in specified courses was instituted. The general decrease is attributed directly to the alteration in the means of receiving credit for the requirements.

30 Per Cent Pass

Exactly 30 per cent of those taking all examinations passed; the best proportion was in the reading French test, which was also taken by the largest number. 178 of the 471 candidates, or 37.8 per cent, were successful. In elementary French, 3 out of 18, or 16.6 per cent, passed: in elementary German 9 out of 47, or 16.07 per cent, passed; in reading German, 13 out of 65, or 20 per cent, passed; in reading Latin, 10 out of 99, or 10.1 per cent, passed; and in reading Greek, the only candidate failed. These figures, giving the percentage of passing grades and failures, compare almost exactly with those of 1929, when, of the total of 920 candidates, 30.4 per cent passed.

The figures show that the elementary requirements are met by most entering students either through the College Board Examinations, or beginning College courses.