CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT 1

Displaying again its Protean versatility, Government 1 announces drastic changes to take effect next fall. Lectures are to be reduced from two to one a week, and their subject matter is to be confined to the application of government principles to present conditions. What is more important, tutors in the department, as far as possible, are to be made instructors in sections meeting twice a week.

A survey course in governments of the world embraces material which should make it one of the most interesting in the curriculum. But Government 1 has failed to take advantage of the latest interest inherent in its subject matter. Lectures have been pleasant but superficial commentaries on governmental philosophy and machinery; section meetings, without able guidance by instructors, have been consumed by the quibbling energies of embryo lawyers. The department has made many attempts to liberalize the course through elimination of weekly tests, introduction of optional texts, and exemption of honor men from the onus of hour examinations. But the main weakness has remained.

Rightly administered the course can become one of assimilation and interpretation rather than more absorption and repetition. When sections are under the supervision of tutors trained as leaders of involved discussions, students must not merely contexts and lecture notes, but must be prepared to comment on their knowledge intelligently and with an eye to current events.

The success of the new plan will depend almost wholly on the careful selection of personnel. Reducing the number of lectures is in itself only a condition of improvement. The skill with which section meetings are conducted will determine whether or not the formal changes are valuable.