TWO ROADS TO ONE GOAL

The CRIMSON investigation of college entrance has met with two apparently divergent ideas. One of these is expressed by Mr. Corwin, Chairman of the Yale Board of Admissions, in his article in today's issue of the CRIMSON in which he states that the transition from the secondary school to the college should involve an obvious change in method to stimulate the intellect of the student. Apparently opposed to this is the idea that courses in the preparatory school should contain some of the material to be taught in college so that the student will have some intelligent means of judging his field of concentration. Mr. Wendell, the Headmaster of a secondary school, takes this stand.

If Mr. Corwin's ideas are construed as applying only to teaching methods while Mr. Wendell speaks from the point of view of subject matter, the discrepancy is obviated. It is perfectly easy to reconcile the jolt Mr. Corwin advocates with Mr. Wendell's ideas of semi-college subjects taught in the preparatory school manner in secondary schools.

As Mr. Corwin declares, one of the great points of college methods is to inoculate the student with the principles of self-education. This is an aim completely divorced from secondary school methods and it is necessary to impress this change upon first year college students if they are to respond to the intellectual stimulus that the college is supposed to offer.

On the other hand, such a practice carried to an extreme would result in disaster. To balance this jolt it is wise to have Freshmen who are acquainted with a sufficient variety of possible college subjects to make an intelligent and compatible choice of a field of concentration. Not only would this remove the danger of the jolt that Mr. Corwin advocates, but it would avoid much was to of time and harmful indecision in later years.

But these are but two of the many involved points that cloud the question. The suggestions of both of these men would do much, however, to aid the present distress if they were sincerely accepted. Here again it is obvious that both the college and the secondary school must cooperate if any definite benefit is to be attained. Once more the question resolves itself not to what must be do no but how. The answer lies with the preparatory school and college authorities and the solution awaits their willingness to act in cooperation.