PROFESSIONALISM IN SCHOLARSHIP

In the light of all the efforts that have been made within the last ten years to free athletics from professionalism, it might be well to consider professionalism in scholarship. Whereas the athlete after months of faithfulness and perseverance earns the right to wear the University insignia, and looks upon this as sufficient reward, the compensation most known to the public for scholarship here is a money prize. Perhaps this difference in the kind of reward given to athletes and to scholars may in a slight measure account for the difference of esteem in which the two are held by college men.

And yet it will be objected that as the class of men who win prizes usually stand in need of financial aid, this method affords the least embarrassing way of rewarding those who are the most deserving. Though this is true to a certain extent, the same result would be accomplished in a less bald way by a committee who should look into the needs of successful scholars, and in this way remove the cheapening effect of money prizes upon scholarship.