Less Rehash of Material Accessible in Textbooks, Better Delivery by Lecturers Suggested in Crimson Lecture Poll

Among the many suggestions for the improvement of the lecture system put forth by the Seniors in response to the recent CRIMSON lecture poll was a request that less material readily accessible to the student in textbooks be rehashed in the lectures themselves, and that the delivery of most of the lecturers must be improved if the system is to justify itself. In line with the latter suggestion, several students suggested a compulsory public speaking course for all lecturers.

In reply to the question: "Are you satisfied with the lectures in elementary courses?", 61.5 per cent answered in the affirmative, while 60.5 per cent expressed themselves as approving of the present advanced courses.

Only a third of the Seniors were in favor of a reduction of courses with a corresponding increase in informal seminar work, but 54 per cent approved such a reduction if it meant an equivalent enlargement of the tutorial program.

On the list of courses in which the Class of 1935 saw "the greatest need for improvement in lectures," Government 1 ran away from the field with 37 votes, 21 more than its nearest competitors, Biology A and Chemistry 33. After these three notorious examples, came Philosophy A with 14 votes, Chemistry 6 with 11, and Economics 3, English 28, and Psychology with 10 each.

Not deigning to classify the courses to which they objected, four men remarked that "any course given by Professor Rollins" needed the greatest improvement, while three thought the same of Professor Greenough, one of Professor Perry.

Other suggestions advanced were the establishment of periodical lectures in Economics A by recognized authorities on the special fields covered (Professor Taussig on the tariff) at approximately weekly intervals, and a plan to put the lecturer on the spot by subjecting him to a cross examination at the end of the hour, ostensibly to give the cleverest students a chance to trip him up.

Follows a list of the courses which five or more men considered those that "need the greatest improvement in lectures," with the number of votes they received:

Government 1, '37; Biology A, 16; Chemistry 33, 16; Philosophy A, 14; Chemistry 6, 11; English 28, 10; Psychology A, 10; Physics D, 9; Chemistry 15, 8; Economics 2b, 8; English 82, 8; Chemistry A, 7; Economics 2a, 7; Economics 9, 7; English 7, 6; Government 29, 6; Philosophy 3, 6; Physics C, 6; English 52, 5; History 1, 5; History 12, 5.