STUDY ABROAD

The remarkable growth in exchange fellowships since the World War is a healthy sign that education is tending to become more internationalized. Doubtless the struggle had a great effect in awakening Americans to an interest in foreign institutions, and other nations have not been slow to respond. Already well over 1,500 traveling scholarships are awarded annually by student exchange agencies.

The broadening and cultural effects arising from study abroad as a supplement to work done in American schools and colleges cannot readily be overstated. Whereas the large European Universities as Geneva and the Sorbonne in Paris have a large percentage of foreigners in their student enrollment, the Universities of America are prone to be localized and essentially nationalistic in outlook. Furthermore few have the opportunity of associating with European students here, as they are so thinly scattered throughout the country.

Along with the increase of travelling scholarships, has been a lowering of steamship rates by the creation of "student third." To many who cannot afford to give over an entire year, the opportunity of attending summer courses in European universities should prove increasingly welcome. It is regrettable, however, that such places as Harvard do not give greater course credit for work done in this way, in order to encourage study abroad. For the Language Departments especially, this would appear exceedingly worth while.

The promising future for exchange scholarships presaged by recent developments has, perhaps, a wider significance than the broadening reaction on the individual. In an age of unconvincing anti-war pacts and armament reductions, nothing could aid more toward a peaceful understanding among nations than the intermingling of students in the common pursuit of Knowledge.