AFTERMATH

Now that Divisionals are over many Seniors are wondering whether they have really gone through a true test of their four years work. Honors candidates in History, Government and Economics feel the problem especially acutely, particularly in view of the recent decision of the Division to give increasing weight to the results of the General Examinations and considerably less to the thesis in making awards of honors.

The advisability of such a step is prehaps doubtful. While tutors usually advise writing theses as early in the year as possible in order to leave plenty of time in the second half-year to prepare for Divisionals, human nature generally brings it about that the finishing touches are not put on until April. Most of the student's interest and tutorial work have been devoted to the thesis, and there remains less than a month in which to prepare for the examinations. Even this brief time is cut into by April hour examinations.

In this short time most men are able to do little but review their courses. Consequently the theory that the Generals are to cover a field of knowledge rather than a group of courses often falls down in actual practice. Tutorial work loses the significance which it should possess as a training for the examinations.

Remedies for the situation are not easy to propose, but various possibilities demand careful consideration. The improvement in the examination on the related fields to go into effect next year should do something by restricting the field which each student must cover. Nevertheless something more should be done to reduce the unbearable pressure of thesis, course work, and three Divisional examinations all toward the end of the Senior year. Possibly it may be wise to consider shifting the thesis date ahead, spreading the Generals over a longer period, or abolishing entirely regular course work for honors candidates during the second half-year. More thought must be given to the relation of the tutorial system to the specialized thesis on the one hand and the broad General examinations on the other. Only by constant attention and improvement can the Division maintain the high standards in which it has been a pioneer.