A HIGHER STANDARD?

The question of "raising the minimum" of College academic requirements was mentioned in the President's Report and has been brought up again by the Advocate. The latter says that the standard should be raised either by increasing the requisite number of courses or by raising the passing grade. We can see no possible reason in the first suggestion; there may be wisdom in the second.

Of this, President Lowell says, "a minimum requirement can never be really high nor act as an incentive to exertion for men of superior capacity." Of course, this is absolutely true; a high standard will never solve the problem of stimulating interest in scholarship. The Advocate notes, however, that no provision is made for men of average capacity, and we must admit that the "just average" man is a difficult proposition to deal with. But he is here, and if he cannot be induced to study of himself, should he be obliged to, and if so how much? In other words, is it the business of the College to let him use his time as he pleases, or to cram an education down his throat? This is a difficult question which the CRIMSON is not altogether prepared to answer definitely, but we are inclined to think that the average student would prosper fully as well if a little more knowledge were forced down. This is a question on which we should be glad to hear further discussion.