RAISING THE BAR

In the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences there is need for correction of a condition that has been a source of annoyance to many men working for the A.M. degree. For a number of years it has been the policy of that institution to admit a substantial minority of men from universities of no particular standing. These men come to Harvard from small colleges, poorly equipped for the high standard of work expected in the Graduate School. Chief among their difficulties is the failure to possess a knowledge of two foreign languages, a fundamental requirement for the A.M. degree. By allowing these men to enter Harvard without adequate language preparation, the University has created a situation that makes it almost impossible for them to obtain the degree in one year.

Men coming to Harvard for graduate work should be expected adequately to be prepared. It may be argued that only men with high academic standing are allowed to waive the language requirements in entering Dean Chase's school. While this may indeed be the case, attention must be called to the fact that it is an arduous task to carry four regular graduate courses in addition to preparing a thesis without the additional burden of grounding one's self in one or two foreign languages. There may be individuals who are capable of withstanding this tremendous strain, but for the average man it means either failure to receive the A.M. degree or a second year of graduate work.

Since the formal inauguration of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, in 1904, a wavering of the standards for admission has been noticed by impartial observers. There is no reason why admission requirements for the Graduate School should be any less stringent than those for A.B. or S.B. candidates. To eliminate this bugbear of graduate students, and to reduce the present mortality among inadequately prepared men, the Administration should maintain strictly the language requirements for admission to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.