No Room for Typing

To even the most rabid mass educator, the sight of five hundred heads bent low over an equal number of little blue books must seem a mildly appalling, impersonal way of testing knowledge. While the mass examination is thus an admitted evil, even its loudest enemies will admit that it is a necessary evil for a large University. But if the University cannot rid itself of the exam system, it should, without sacrificing the content of the tests, try to make the ordeal as easy as possible.

Allowing students to type examinations in special typing rooms would make the test chore a lot easier for many men. Students who are accustomed to thinking at the typewriter often find it harder to get their thoughts down smoothly in handwriting. Many men can type faster than they can write, and are used to seeing their thoughts typed in front of them. In addition, for the grader who has to wade through book after book of semi-legible scribbles, typed examinations would be a boon.

There is no reason why the Registrar cannot allow typing during finals. The main arguments against typing are the administrative difficulties and a possible lack of space, since extra rooms would be needed. Both these problems have apparently been cleared up at Princeton, Yale and Harvard Law School, who all have typing rooms for finals. The Registrar might at least experiment before next examination uperiod by having an advance sign up for typing rooms. In this way, the Administration could judge the number of rooms needed and attempt to clear up the necessary scheduling snags to give the typing student the break that everyone needs in an examination.