A SUFFICIENT REASON

To those who have been listening hopefully for some official word about the extension of the tutorial system, the personal views of Professors Ford and Howard expressed on another page of this issue are very welcome. With the well-founded general criticism of the Modern Language divisionals last spring and the report of the Scholarship Committee of the Student Council the "situation seems now to call for attention", as Professor Howard says. And it is gratifying to learn that it ought soon to be "brought for discussion."

Professor Ford, in his statement of the case, has pointed out the difficulties attending the extension. That the financial one is not of prime importance seems to be clear from the statement. Undoubtedly the question of securing a sufficient number of men of tutorial ability is a great problem. Yet since one tutor could probably take care of at least fifteen students, the number of tutors necessary would not be impossibly large. And as for securing men of proper calibre, the same problem arises in securing professors and assistants. Furthermore men versed in three languages would only be needed in the Department of Romance Languages.

Although the difficulties of men and money are undeniably great, they could be surmounted if the result would justify the attempt. At present the General Examinations fall far short of effecting the end for which they were devised. If the extension of the tutorial system will fill this bill, then surely the attempt will be justified. As to that one can only estimate on the analogy of the department of History, Government and Economics. Although Professor Ford says that "there is some discussion as to whether the system has been an unqualified success" there, unqualified successes are few and even qualified success would be worth the candle.