CO-ORDINATION AS A SOLUTION.

Undoubtedly the paramount problem before the undergraduate community is the proper adjustment of academic and extra-curriculum work. The neglect of scholarship is a deplorable fact; persistent attention to so-called "outside activities" in omnipresent. We realize fully the maladjustment of our college life, and our problem concerns its readjustment. In the solution it is obvious that the various activities of some two-thousand men cannot be reduced to one pursuit, scholarship, but it seems possible that a closer connection may be set up between college courses and other undergraduate endeavor. If such a connection be possible, academic work will share in the attention devoted to the "outside activities", and a step will be taken toward the solution of our most pressing problem.

We offer a concrete suggestion as to one means to establish this intimate connection. The competition for the various undergraduate publications is keen, and participated in by a large number of men. To transfer some of this interest and activity to the English composition courses, particularly English A, may be effected by an alliance between this academic work and competition for the papers. For example, in English A, the students might be encouraged to submit stories, essays, and editorials bearing on college topics. Then after the instructors have criticized and corrected these contributions, their authors might submit them for publication. Thus the competition for undergraduate papers may be carried on through the medium of college courses, much to the benefit of the standard of work in the courses and the quality of the contributions to the papers.

In brief this is a plan for the practical application of principles taught in college courses. Under such an arrangement men will become more interested in their composition work, since they will be striving after a definite end. In addition to counting as required work, their efforts will mean participation in an important branch of our undergraduate activities. At present men dash off inconsequential things merely, because some English course requires them. The plan suggested would stimulate interest in such work, and help to bring about that much desired readjustment between work academic and the much discussed outside activities.