BACKSLIDING

Last April the CRIMSON drew to the attention of University officials the need for changing the conduct of Language Examinations to prevent persons from satisfying the requirements by proxy. That there were breaches of the University's then unquestioning trust was established, and suggestions were made for preventing a proxy from taking the examinations in lieu of the person receiving the credit. The situation was presumably remedied when it was decreed that all those who take the examination first register at University Hall and obtain identification blanks to admit them to the test.

Unfortunately those in charge leave much to be desired in their enforcement of the new rulings. Students who had not registered were admitted to the recent examination for Reading Knowledge of French. Registration blanks were carelessly distributed by the proctors to all who were without the proper identification, so that the boldest fraud could have been carried out with impunity.

While the CRIMSON is not altogether in favor of the present Language requirements, it is certain that these or any other ordeals by bluebook must be very like Caesar's wife. Examinations lose all value if their rewards are purchasable, since they are then, not accurate gauges of knowledge, but nothing more than cach registers. It is for this reason that the proper authorities would do well to look into the matter further.