LANGUAGE GHOST SUFFERS SETBACK UNDER NEW RULE

The necessity of passing language examinations, so long a stumbling block to many a Harvard student will be considerably lessened according to a recent announcement from University Hall.

It was stated that the Faculty of Arts and Sciences of the College had just voted that a grade of 70 percent in the admission examination in Advanced German or French, known on College Board Examinations as German or French cp 4, be accepted in satisfaction of the reading knowledge requirements in those languages. This new ruling, following immediately upon the Faculty decision of last year to count advanced German or French toward entrance requirement, will permit students to pass off their requirement without having to take one of the special examinations or a half-course in either German or French.

In accord with the new arrangement German and French are placed on a par with Latin so that a student may offer an advanced knowledge of any one of these three to satisfy the requirement of a reading knowledge of one language. This is in line with the evolution from the strict rules of a number of years ago when it was necessary for under-graduates to appear before an examiner and be questioned individually by reading passages of a language text-book and answering questions on them.

It is being expected more and more that men coming to college and not concentrating in a language should enter prepared to dispense with the requirements in this field, being equipped well enough for the reading of foreign languages which is necessary in their field. This latest arrangement attempts to do just that thing. It does not however do away with the present means afforded undergraduates for satisfying language requirements, it is merely added as an alternative. The language examinations will be held as usual three times during the year.