THE MERRY WIDOW

The examination period revives the old suspicion that in drawing up an examination, the professor frequently makes every effort to pick out such questions, and phrase them in such a way, as to thwart every effort of the Widow to spot exam questions. The result has been that at times the examination develops into a keen battle of wits between the Widow on one hand, and the professor on the other. With two such old and experienced antagonists in the fray, the student, and especially one direct from preparatory school, stands little chance of making any kind of a showing. He can, as it were, only look on, and occasionally applaud when the Widow draws blood.

It is easy to understand why the professor should sometimes adopt the procedure he does. He believes that by so doing he prevents those who have gone to the tutoring bureaus from getting a good grade in the course. But the evil connected with the system is that if he has delivered a killing blow to the Widow's patrons, he may at the same fell swoop, have hurt those average students who have been steadily working during the term.

There is no objection to the professor having a battle of wits with the Widow, but it should be of a different kind. It is certainly possible to devise an examination which shall reveal whether the student has a thorough knowledge of the subject, or only such a superficial knowledge as might be gained in five hours cramming. Nor is there any reason why, such an examination need be "tricky." It should lay emphasis upon reasoning power, and ability to present the points logically. And the attempt to make out such exams might be supplemented by a more discerning reading of the material the student offers in his exam. Here at least, in the reading of the exam, the professor should be able to discover something of the real knowledge of the student.