ON THE LEVEL

Nothing calls forth more grumbling on the part of the college undergraduate than the all-important question of marks; and no phase of the matter occasions more complaint than the excessive number of "E's" recorded in the archives at University Hall. Many of these academic tragedies, it is true, are frankly attributed to laziness on the part of the student, but a considerable proportion is by general consensus of undergraduate opinion laid at the door of the instructor. There have been instances at Harvard when large courses have flunked as high as forty percent of their members at Mid-Years. The purpose --if there was a purpose--might possibly have been to stimulate students to more conscientious work; but the undergraduate is often discouraged rather than aroused by what he considers an honest indication of poor scholastic worth. Inasmuch as it is the aim of the college course to teach, the outsider must regard an excessive number of failures as evidence either that the standard of grading is too high or the instruction very inefficient.

It should be possible in each department to eliminate in the introductory courses persons unfitted for work in that field. Yet the large number of men who fail in moderately advanced courses which are essential to further progress in their respective concentration groups shows that this is not being done. It is far better to advise students who are hopelessly in arrears to drop courses than to have them waste their time in bootless effort. If instruction can not be improved or standards lowered; if in order to maintain the reputation of the University recourse must be had to drastic measures; it would be well to substitute the dropped- course method for wholesale failure.

A large number of failures in a course should be looked upon as an indication that the instruction is faulty, rather than a boast that the course in laudably severe. The undergraduate is frequently of the opinion that his professors take a secret pride in the number of men they flunk. By convincing his students that they are being given a square deal the instructor will put himself in a better position to ask their cooperation.