PUBLICATION OF THESES

The sum recently donated to the University for the publication of Honor Theses by Seniors is highly commendable as an added incentive to good work by the students. Since the Committee on Bowdoin Prizes already passes judgment on the best papers submitted by the various departments, the new system need cause no alteration in the present situation. Furthermore the published booklets will stand as a permanent record of undergraduate accomplishment to be looked back upon in the future.

It is often regretted by old-time Alumni that the thorough-going drill in English composition which was formerly administered at Harvard should have been forcibly replaced by other considerations of the modern curriculum. At all events the maltreatment of grammar and frequent misspellings which occur on college papers today would seem to justify a great deal of adverse criticism, which any lingering influence of English A can hardly overcome. The publication of theses, however, might well act as an agent toward improving the presentation of subjects by aspiring undergraduates. This is especially true of such fields as Science or Economics where literary form is apt to be of a purely secondary significance.

Another consideration of the new plan is that in addition to its other values it should encourage more men to write theses. After passing through a welter of hour examinations during the four years of college, nothing can be more interesting than working up one's special topic into a presentable paper. Not only does it give one an opportunity to display his reasoning power, but likewise the factual knowledge acquired in this way is usually of a more enduring nature. The impartial selection of theses gives men of all fields an opportunity to see their name in print and draws the work of numerous departments together in a common publication.