Show Present Educational uca Bona Systems Are re Antiquated n v ua e ei i We Ve have been aware that there is something radically wrong with our school system for a along along along long time tune The sarcastic indictments of it coming coming coming com com- ing from I- I IG H. H G G. Wells the terse criticisms of Alexis Carrel the dogmatic assertions of Henry Henry Hen Ien ry C. C Link and the swashbuckling disregard of educational precedent on the part of Robert M. M Hutchins Hutchi s have helped to pound deeper into the public consciousness an ever growing suspicion suspicion suspicion sus sus- that higher education is not higher edu edu- cation i Research Confirms Suspicions Now that suspicion has been confirmed by a apiece apiece apiece piece of scientific research that leaves no room for further doubt The recent report of the Carnegie Institute for the Advancement of Teaching which covered the activities of over five fifty-five thousand students disclosed some astounding astounding astounding as as- facts First its tests indicated that far from showing showing showing show show- ing progress some college students actually showed intellectual retrogression during their courses Second the amount of knowledge and mental mental mental men men- tal alertness possessed by various individuals seemed to bear no relationship whatever to their position in school Many freshmen were far superior to seniors who were planning to graduate from the institution in which they the freshmen had just enrolled Third many teachers were discovered to be considerably below the intellectual level of the i people whom they were supposed to be teach teach- ing Readjustments Necessary All this shows that we have suffered from a alack alack alack lack of constant critical examination of the ends of higher education and the coordination of means in order to attain those ends Our system system tem tern of schooling must undergo some profound re-adjustments re before they will be prepared to meet the needs of a dynamic and changing society Consideration Due Report Conditions now are so bad that some few people have taken the stand that the only way to prevent the contamination of good minds is isto isto isto to keep them out of contact with the so-called so institutions of higher learning While we wont won't go that far still we must recognize if we are honest that our system must give more to students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents than a c certain garbled collection of in intellectual intellectual intellectual in- in hash We must urge that the Carnee Carnegie Carnegie Carne Carne- gie report be taken seriously and that our system system tem tern be reorganized on lines indicated b by Y searching scientific scrutiny Action Is Imperative Perhaps we had better say more than The facts of the situation are already thoroughly known However there seems tobe to tobe tobe be a strange disparity in academic circles between between between be be- tween the recognition of truth and action in relation re- re relation relation re re- lation to that truth We are even taught principles principles ples pies of teaching at this institution which are persistently disregarded by the very organization tion which teaches them Such a situation must not endure Something must be done A A. J. J |