THE FIFTH COURSE

While other colleges are proclaiming their academic advances, or organizing efforts for new advances, Harvard has quietly proceeded toward changes of the greatest importance. The new Freshman requirements explained on another page, involve a number of scholastic matters. It is a truism that the first year marks a difficult transition and readjustment. In the past it has been the theory that the newcomer should not be forced. But a mere two C's and a D, out of five courses, is in the great majority of cases ridiculously easy.

Under the impression that only three courses really mattered, many Freshmen have been able to get through with an insignificant amount of work, and this let-down from the stiff preparatory year preceding has wasted their abilities and weakened their powers. A corollary is that the balance of necessary C's has been allowed to accumulate until, though the annual passing average has been reached, the amount left to be worked off in Senior year may be beyond the student's capacity.

The new plan remedies the latter fault by reapportioning the required C's more equally--three C's for each of the first three years, and the remaining two and one-half for the Senior year. At the same time, the higher Freshman standard will put new men to a severer test in quality though not in quantity, so that they will be obliged to put forth their best efforts at once, and be keyed up to better work when they become Sophomores.

It will occur to many that the increase will work hardship to students who have difficulty in "finding themselves" when they first come to college, but who under the old requirement were able barely to "get by" as Freshmen and to make up their shortcomings later. But as a matter of fact, one-half of the men who now receive the minimum of two C's and a D the first year, fail before the middle of the succeeding year, and might better have been dropped at once; while most of the others, under the necessity of a higher standard, could probably begin their improvement just as well in their Freshman year; instead of delaying until they are forced to it as Sophomores.

It must be remembered, however, that the number of courses for Freshmen who so elect, is reduced from five to four, the fifth being left for later disposal. This change, as a matter of fact, largely counteracts the new requirement, so that there is in reality no higher standard imposed on the Freshman; although, one of the chief reasons for the new rule is the feeling that the first year is now in most cases too easy. In this one respect the new plan seems defective. Under the natural impulse to procrastinate, unwarned Freshmen will be inclined to jump at the easier possibility and leave the stiffer year until later. Yet the great majority, if put to the test, will have little difficulty in carrying five courses and passing them with three C's. The advantages of getting the extra course out of the way early are numerous and obvious; the danger of letting it pile up in the Senior year, like the necessary C's of the old plan, is most undesirable.

Freshmen actually unable to succeed with five courses under the higher passing-standard would be a distinct minority, and if they failed in one course they would be no worse off (since only four need be passed) than if they had taken only four. Furthermore, a loophole may be left them: if at mid-years it is evident that their program is too heavy, they can be allowed to drop one course and concentrate on the four, making up the deficit later as under the present plan, but in any case before Senior year.

Under the circumstances, the new system must be approved with reservations. Certainly the requirement should be added that the extra course be completed before Senior year. There is every reason to go further and urge assigning it definitely to the Freshman year.