ONCE A WEEK.

IT is gratifying to note that in the last issue of the Elective Pamphlet the number of one-hour electives has been somewhat diminished. It is undoubtedly true that the general dissatisfaction with such courses, prevalent among both students and instructors, is well founded, and furnishes solid reason for the abolishment of these electives.

It is a well-established fact that the human mind, as well as the human body, does its best work at regular intervals. If study, recitation, and recreation can be located at the same hour day after day, both mind and body become accustomed to the routine and labor almost of themselves at their wonted time. To three-hour or even two-hour courses one readily becomes accustomed, but it is difficult to get in harmony with a course which comes once in seven days, at an hour of its own, and is then dismissed from the thoughts for another week. The continuity of interest necessary to much progress in a study is, moreover, sadly wanting in these courses, and there can be but few who contemplate with the same satisfaction the portion of their time given to a one-hour study and that devoted to a three-hour course. In addition to the certainty that, for the reasons we have above tried to explain, a one-hour course requires a greater amount of labor to accomplish a given amount of work, there is a tendency among instructors to pile up the work in their one-hour courses. With them an elective is an elective, and, without the instructor's actually intending it, the work required in a one hour-course would often be none too little for a two-hour or three-hour elective.

The examinations, too, must not be forgotten. The examinations in a one-hour course are generally quite as severe and exhaustive as those in one which has more frequent recitations, while those who take these courses have the number of their examinations greatly increased and their time for study correspondingly lessened. In fact, we may sum up the objections to one-hour courses in a figure familiar to all who have taken Freshman Physics, and say that the friction is far too great in proportion to the work accomplished.

Having thus endeavored to point out the disadvantages incident to these courses, it becomes important to indicate some way in which these inconveniences may be lessened.

There are several one-hour courses which could readily be extended to two or three hours, and others which might be consolidated with existing courses with advantage, one three-hour course being substituted for two of a less number of recitations. And we are glad to know that both these plans are now being followed by some instructors. The most important of the electives not susceptible of such treatment are the honor courses in Greek and Latin Composition. And we fail to see why these could not be connected with the parallel courses in translation with a twofold advantage in both decreasing the amount of work and increasing the results. After all these have been considered, there still remain, however, a number of one-hour courses whose relative importance may be very fairly represented by the time assigned to them. Now it appears to us that the results from these courses would be much better if they could be made three-hour courses continued through half the year, some of them beginning at the opening of the fall term and having their final examinations during the mid-years, and others continuing from the mid-years to the annuals. As certain two-hour courses capable of similar treatment could probably be found, a considerable liberty of choice could be given. We think that the adoption of some of the above suggestions would add greatly to the convenience of students and to the success of many courses of instruction; but even should none of them be thought worth consideration we earnestly hope the subject of lessening the evils of one-hour courses may receive early and careful attention.