Electives at Princeton.

President Patton of Princeton has had in mind some very important and radical changes in the college curriculum, but it was not until recently that the details of these changes became public. Hereafter instead of three terms there will be two, with mid-year and final examinations. Another new feature will be the granting of special honors in addition to the general honor now given in the leading general department. The changes are known to meet the approval not only of the Faculty and Trustees, but also of ex-President McCosh. They are as follows:

In Freshman year the first term studies will remain as they are-Latin, Greek, Mathematics and English-but in the second term Latin will be one hour less per week, and Professor Schenck's anatomy will be brought from Sophomore year.

In Sophomore year, instead of all required studies as heretofore, only twelve hours of study will be required. There are five elective studies, of which the student takes two, each of two hours, which, with the twelve hours required, makes sixteen altogether. Prof. Schenck's chemistry is to be brought over from the Senior year, and instead of being required for the whole year will be required for only one term. Logic is also brought over from Junior year. The required studies-Latin, Greek, mathematics, modern languages, history, chemistry, English, logic, zoology, and botany-all are made two hourse a week, and if the student seeks special honors in the classics or modern he elects two hours in these subjects in addition to the two hours required.

In Junior years the changes are radical. Logic has been dropped from the list of required studies, and political economy has been brought from Senior year to take its place. Otherwise the required studies remain the same. In the elective department the student is accorded a wider scope than ever before. Kindred studies are divided into departments containing from two to four subjects each, and if the student seeks special honors he must take two subjects. Some studies are brought from Senior year, such as laboratory chemistry, biology, histology, comparative politics, international law, history of philosophy, history of art, and archeology. Hebrew and early English are introduced.

The special feature of Junior year is the division of studies into departments. This has never been done in the past before Senior year. These department are seven: Mental philosophy, political science, classics, modern languages, mathematics, natural sciences and English. To obtain special honors in English the student must maintain a first group standing in the required English and fill out his four hour elective in this department, with some elective in classics and modern languages.

In Senior year, jurisprudence, political economy, chemistry, science, and religion are dropped from the list of required studies, and the only new feature is lectures in evidence of Christianity by the President. The required hours are reduced in the first term from nine to five, and in the second term from six to four, the student taking ten hours elective work. To obtain Senior honors the student must take six hours elective work in department, or, taking four hours elective work, must obtain a first group, standing in the required study belonging to that department. No student will be eligible for these honors who has not passed an examination in the honor courses of preceding years. Most of the electives of Junior year are open to the Seniors, but in addition to these, a Senior has a choice of additional electives. Changes from the old courses are the introduction of contemporary philosophy under mental philosophy, science of government, Roman and municipal law under political science, advanced Hebrew under ancient languages, advanced biology under sciences, and probably Italian and the change of physical geography from Junior to Senior year.

The ranking system will be the same in freshman and sophomore years, but in the last two years the groups will be four instead of six. Exclusions of electives are to be made on two principles: First, to leave open as far as possible electives of general character and those common to juniors and seniors; second, to make mutually exclusive the more specialized electives and those clearly incongruous. General honors will be granted for general excellence substantially as at present. Special honors will be awarded only to students whose average is above mediocrity. In freshman year the candidate must take four hours in the department in which he seeks special honors, in the sophomore year four, in the junior year four, and in the senior year six hours' elective.

These changes take effect at the beginning of next year.