Show TN IN what the CHRONICLE has said h heretofore heretofore here here- re- re concern concerning ing formal examinations examinations examinations examina examina- it has not desired to intimate that their abolition would on the whole make college life easier for either teacher or student The fact is that the actual mental exertion of the student during the year would be in increased increased increased in- in creased and we confidently believe to some purpose as it would require constant constant constant con con- stant devotion to the subjects in hand instead of only for the few weeks or days of feverish worry which usually precedes examination under the old system We believe the benefits of the record system would be manifold in comparison with f those achieved by the traditional examination examination examination nation but it most be conceded that changes in this respect as in all others should be introduced gradually with every safeguard against abuses We give below a letter on this sub suh- from President Francis A. A Walker of the Massachusetts Institute of Techno Techno- logy MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY BOSTON May 10 1394 Editors university L Chronicle C GENTLEMEN IEN YOUr GENTLEMEN Your letter of the of April has been received In reply I would say that through recent action of the Faculty of the Institute the number of stated formal examinations examinations examinations examina examina- at the cl close se of the year or the half year has been largely reduced in inthe inthe inthe the first and second years of our course In the subjects where examinations are areto areto areto to be omitted students will hereafter be passed or conditioned upon the results of their terms term's work day by day It It has not however been sought or desired to abolish stated formal examinations examinations examinations ex ex- altogether Even in the first and second years certain subjects still remain n including at least one difficult subject in each year in respect to which examinations are still to be as heretofore The Faculty of of the Institute regard it as a mistake to treat examinations as altogether un un- desirable They believe that the ment mental l attitude of examination is one which it itis itis itis is wholesome and bracing for the student student student stu stu- dent now and then to assume They believe that it is well that the student should be required occasionally to pull himself together and to come up tip to a certain place at a certain time prepared to tell tell all all that he knows about a certain subject This is much the sort of thing which he will have to do in real life and the experience and training cannot fail to be useful Therefore the Faculty do net anticipate the entire abolition of of examination even in the two lower classes of the Institute It ought in this connection to be said that terms term's work has always 1 I counted largely in making up the thet t standing of the student in addition to f the marks of examination On the other hand the Faculty feel that our students have in the past been called upon to undergo too many examinations examinations examinations ex ex- amin during the fortnight devoted to these exercises at the close of the half half- year and again at the close of the year The nervous strain brought upon the student student student stu- stu dent and the temptation to cram for j examinations they have regarded as unfortunate unfortunate unfortunate un un- fortunate but not until the present time have they seen their way practically to substitute other tests for the the traditional Y examination One of the difficulties expErienced has been that of dividing classes into sections small enough to allow that system to be introduced So much for what has actually been done at the Institute of Technology in inthis inthis this matter How far the results will willbe willbe t be for good can only be told after trial t but one thing may be said with confidence confidence confidence dence viz the the substitution of terms term's t work for examinations will not be wholly r beneficial perhaps not beneficial at all in any school where the test of the t terms term's rm s 's work is not applied sincerely honestly Jit and courageously If there is to be any trifling with this subject the result will bea beta sharp fall in in the standard of scholar scholar- ship Examinations have at least this t merit that both pupils and teachers are nerved up to them and the exercise is isi isone isone i one in which the deepest interest is istL tL taken and on the results of which it is f known a great deal will depend It will willbe be far less a matter of certainty that teachers will do their duty and their whole duty in applying the test of dail daily r r as a substitute for examina examina- 1 shall not he be at all surprised to see the abolition of examinations in some institutions result in confusion and anarchy so far as any standard of scholarship is concerned Unless the teacher is under the new system to work 1 much harder than under the old to follow the course of daily reci recitations more carefully than ever and to follow up each student in his class with the most exact attention the results are likely to Ue tie more harmful than beneficial If however the teacher will assume the nervous strain strai which has heretofore been brought upon the pupil and will carry carryon on the current work of the term in the spirit which I have indicated the abolition abolition abolition tion of the greater part of the traditional examinations in colleges and scientific schools may be made a source of benefit II Our reason for not carrying the new system upwards into the third and fourth year classes at this time are several First we desired to introduce the s sj stem 1 gradually for the best effect Secondly 1 any member of the Faculty now has the right at his own discretion under existing existing existing exist exist- ing rules to dispense with examinations in third and fourth year subjects and I some of our professors dealing with third and fourth year classes have been accustomed accustomed accustomed tomed to assign rank on the basis of J j the terms work the influence of the reduction mentioned in the number number number num num- ber of examinations in the lower classes if there successful will cause this to be bedone bedone bedone done in the upper classes to an even greater extent than heretofore II Thirdly the students of the third and fourth year classes are older better disciplined better acquainted with routine of the school more accustomed to the attitude of examination than those of the lower classes They are consequently consequently consequently conse conse- qualified to obtain more of the benefit and suffer less of the evil of examinations and can accordingly better afford to wait their turn Fourth the subjects of instruction in the higher years are to to a very great extent largely technical leading themselves themselves themselves them them- selves better to the purposes of examination examination examination examina examina- tion and affording thus a truer test of proficiency than do examinations in more moreO O elementary and more mor general subjects sub sub- II It It may perhaps aid in the understanding understanding understanding under under- standing of our position to add that the Faculty of the Institute have never given numerical marks upon examinations examinations examinations examina examina- that is have not given out such marks to the students even where the teacher has made such marks for his own guidance or for the information of the Faculty II Trul Truly yours FRANCIS A. A WALKER President |