SWADDLING CLOTHES

One of the most pressing problems that confront many undergraduates in the present-day colleges is that of adjusting extra-curriculum activities and the demands of scholastic work so that each has a fair portion of the available time. This is particularly the case in a small college where the activities are many and the demand for members among the organizations keen, but it is present in all institutions and Harvard is not without the difficulty.

Northeastern University has adopted a new and interesting method of meeting this situation by means of a point system that grades each activity at one, one and a half, or two points and allowing every man a maximum of three. Among the "major" position that count two points are the editorships of the holders of lesser positions on the papers and class executives are given a lower rating. The system is provisional and alterations will be made if needed, but it was felt that some check was needed on the excessive demands of the extra-curriculum organizations.

Such a move as this sacrifices one of the chief benefits to be derived from outside activities. The compromise that must be effected between rival interests is a problem that, if worked out for himself, can be of the greatest value to the student. No matter what career he takes up, some day the question of apportioning his time will become the vital issue and often success or failure may depend on his solution. To attempt to keep him from gaining such valuable experience by a rule that sets a uniform limit to a quality as varied as capacity for work is to give substance to the impression that colleges pass all students through a common mould and turn out only impractical theorists. The Northeastern rule is admittedly only a tentative step, but even as an experiment it sets a dangerous example.