OVEREMPHASIS, FRENCH STYLE

Recent comment on the university system of France, decrying the onerous scholastic requirements imposed, comes at a time when what was once a fashion is rapidly establishing itself as a tradition of attacking the predominance of the social and athletic sides of an American college. In both cases, the conditions at the universities are in discord with the dominant principles of advanced study.

It is axiomatic that university study is valuable not so much for the actual book learning, but for the training in thinking. In devoting so much time to social and physical recreation, American students too often commit sins of omission in regard to study. Their French contemporaries are more apt to commit sins of commission in attempting to master an overwhelming mass of information. One university course abroad includes thirty French authors and twelve ancient authors, with a knowledge of the complete works of three. The attempt to cover so much material encourages mechanical learning of facts far more than original thought or understanding.

Memorized learning in itself contributes nothing to the ability of the student to solve problems that are raised outside of his immediate field. Intelligent understanding of a subject cannot be obtained without time to reflect on a fund of accumulated knowledge. But such real comprehension of the meaning and importance of certain facts is the essential goal of university education. The French might well consider Montaigno's ideal of the finished man one who has a well made head, not a well stuffed one.