BUDGETS OF TIME

From the University of Chicago comes a Committee report which delves into the mysterious realm of students' time. With something of a shock the investigators discovered that the mythical average student spent but 36 hours a week at his studies, devoted little time to serious reading and far too much to outside activities.

In concluding its analysis, the Committee, with unconscious humor, proceeded to plot the undergraduates' week for him. Forty-two hours, it declared, is the minimum which should be devoted to studying, four should be given to serious reading not included in courses, seven to exercise, three to concerts and the theater, two to social affairs, and, finally, two to religion. For sleep the Committee thought 56 hours sufficient: It concluded by pointing out that 52 thus remained for eating and other activities.

At Harvard, Freshmen have been told that 40 hours a week is the minimum time allotment for studying, nine hours for each course and four for tutorial work. Thus far the remaining 128 have been left to their discretion.

While it is possible that certain of the more conscientious Maroons may take the official schedule seriously, it is to be suspected that the more effective attack on the problem is from the opposite angle. If standards of work are made sufficiently high and student interest in attaining them sufficiently stimulated, hours of study will probably take care of themselves.