REFORM IN STATISTICS

For a course which is so essential to the thorough study of economics, Statistics, known in the catalogue as Economics 21a, is sadly organized and badly equipped. This year's record-breaking enrollment of 130 students has definitely shown it to be one of the major economics classes, deserving to rank in student interest with Professor William's course on "Money and Banking", or Professor Mason's "Corporation Regulation."

The study of statistics requires at least as much personal instruction as that given in Mathematics A; yet, under the present set-up, nothing but formal lectures before the class as a whole attempt to clarify the reading. Professor Frickey does his best to break down the formality of the atmosphere by occasionally answering questions, but the class has expanded beyond the discussion stage. What little personal contact one does make during the half year is gleaned solely from the altogether too brief weekly laboratory sections. With three hours of laboratory work crammed into a two-hour session is it any wonder that 90 per cent of the enrollment finds itself cranking adding machines in Boylston through most of the Reading Period?

The crowning example of superficial organization in Economics 21a is the hodge-podge of its chief texts. Ostensibly, the backbone of the course is the poorly arranged and errata-infested text, Crum and Patton. To this, as a supplement, is added Professor Frickey's mimeographed "Notes and Problems", beyond a doubt one of the most readable and helpful sources in elementary statistics. They, however, are still no more than a glorified explanation of an inadequate text; and the confusion arising from the awkward necessity of having to consult two texts, neither one of which is complete, is indeed a ridiculous situation.

In place of assembling the entire class three times a week for formal lectures, Professor Frickey would do well to follow out the same procedure which he already uses in Accounting--namely, to break up the class into compact sections of twenty to thirty members and allow his assistants to do the lecuring on a small scale. This would give that personal instruction which is so necessary to a subject resembling both geometry and algebra. In addition it would eliminate much of the time wasted in stagnant perplexity during the laboratory period. As for reforming the reading material, we can suggest nothing better than to hustle Professor Frickey over to the nearest publisher and Problems" enlarged to text-book dimensions. If he will retain their leisurely throughness and simplicity, his "Notes" should have no peer on the market. These two basic reforms can raise Economics 21a to one of the best and most worthwhile courses in the department.