New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-01-29

e expense or the least mental effort Innocent OuAer,
have 40 idea OF tho extent Of hambuggery and Al.
cepton which the desire Of college standing induce.
The freshman from the country yerdant from hard ana
faithful study, and who nine out OF ia "oo,
ditiOncd" upon entering while the "cuer" tpecimeo
large preparatory school escapes sstou.saed q,
ud things altogether different after be does get ,.
college from what he had previously thought tb,m
Accustomed to dig out his Latin and Greek by the roots
he finds that IN Yale nearly every rides over tenn
with ponies" Tho aigcbraic problems gpon which h.
expected eXpeud much midnight kerO-ene. he ars,
can all very shortly Do solved by calling at The nee,,
bookstore and buying Key" lie Euclid he discover,
may be conveniently laid open tie Gyor before hin
behind the shelter Of the seat In 'front.' and the prsn
ositlons conned and tho coroaues Kept Ia mind
iii it comes to him to recito. His history may be u,sd
in the same way and. IN short tlcro Is not q study "a
the Yale course In which q student may not frauduarix
benefit himself IN the matter OF getting good mark
It would be amusing coate the numerous and eaA
crate devices which this pestiierous system OF studyts,
for marks Oegets. A few which under my own Oh
servation while at Yale. II may DO Interesting to youy
readers to hear Of, and all Yale mon doubt not win 10
cOguize aud find themselves able ~ increase tho Lat
These devices for obtaining fictitious and fraudulent
standing are all included under the general tern q
"sklnnDg" word as familiar to she Yale student his
own name. In fact the students may be divided into two
classes those who do and those who do not skim" and
OF tho aggregate the frstclass comprises probably nue
tenths The use OF Jponies" and keys" we may term
"sannng improper" while "slnniDg proper" refers "a
Illicit helps used In the recitation or examination
The ordinary developments OF the latter sort arc
the opening Of books the floor, behind neighbours
back or under ones coat, and the carrying into rect
ton examination room OF papers with The desired
answer Information written out.
IL was q neat and effective device when was IN COL
lego not many years ago to write on your cuffs finger
nails even certain weak points In your preparation for
examination which might adrOitly be referred 70 when
the tutor professor not looking \ small paper
with "points" might be inserted under your watch cry
tai and referred to without suspicion Numerous papers
might of course be concealed 10 the pockets aud re-
ferred to; but there always difficulty In getting
hold of the right one, aud 10 overcome that one IN.
ventiye genius Of my class, well remember CONSTRUCTED
an ingenious little machine consisting Of couple Of rok
| lcrs working IN frame upon which he wound a
/ band OF paper which inscribed With all
the propositions in Loomis's Analytical
Geometry. The machine was so small and neatly made
that It could DC held concealed almost In the palm Of tho
hand who the fingers worked tho rollers and brought
into view whatever proposition desired -Four md
,iduals in my class Of whom in selidcfense must say
that was not one, by means OF this Etto instrument
successfully passed examinations which would otherwise
have Hoored them and duplicate thereof saved several
Others have been informed 1t has often to my know
ledge happened that students would az the close Of tia
term cut up their books and shave the leaves close to tho
|
Of the most ludlcrous sights stamped on my memory is
one that greeted my gaze entering tie room Of class
mate, aud which properly gotten up would make tho
fortune Of some college Mast cartoon entitled "Pe
parIng for Examination" sceneroom full OF lively stu
DENTS armed with shears scissors, and knives busy en-
gagged in cutting mp text books. and preparing sknnns
papers" with book paper shayncs, aud tho mis-
celaneous debris OF work in heaps on the floor shall
never forget the comca ggesyeness Of that scene as
compared with tho ideal preparation for eH'
| animation OF hard study, midnight oil, AID
early rIsngs. The demorazing extent 10 which
frauds Of these sorts arc carried on would aston.
sh an outsider unacquainted with the state Of ar IN
Yao College The efforts TO outwit the examiners have.
within the past year. eliminated an enterprise Of great
pith and moment, which was nothing less Aah he pfI'
Ing Of some one about the College printing office, which
has always been most srenuously guarded, TO iuilsh
copies OF the examination papers in advance to tho
students The project defeated itself however inasmuch
as the extraordinary examination passed by the entire
class was proof positive that there had been leak some
/ where, and a new examination was ordered.
Now. all this fraud and deception would be comcal
enough could DO considered without regard 10 us
motives aud results but equally serious when viewed
as tho natural outgrowth Of system o. study which
makes the attainment Of standing Its chief motive power
and which results IN the fostering Of careless soYe.y
and unprinciped habits Of study and education that
falls lancntably short Of what lt might be.
Ihave endeayored in what have said to give a fair n
side view OF the state Of ars in Yale with reference "a
It's SYSTEM OF study It appears to me that the evils
which attend great and that they result IN large
measure from the considerations which hauc touched
upon. namely, the want OF sympathy between the
students and Faculty and the Influence Of unworthy
motive in study. 1 am not prepared TO say that any
given course OF action Will advantagcousy remedy the
evil but that there evil that needs remedy who
knows anything about that subject Will pretend TO deny
tho abolition system Of marks iOrschorsp would.
Of course do away with the resultant evils aud The cues
ton is whether new would be introduced as bad.
For my part think not confess to certain ideas with
regard TO education which might be considered Utopnn
by the Yale Faculty to the effect that young men who
have reached the age OF eighteen and upward best
be developed by allowing them to think aud act for
themselves, and by trusting them 10 study for their own
good without imposing upon them tho condition OF look
ing out for their marks. The present system ~
presuming their unftness to do this. in
| fact dcmoralizes them TO a considerable do
gree II they had the responsibility thrown upon tnem of
selecting their studies and pursuing them rs they h"ught
best IL would certainly have tendency 10 make them
earnest and sincere in their efforts aud II the pecoas
motive OF marks out ~ the the temptation 10
deception fraud. and ctitions a,qucmrn would be
of the College that the stimulus Of standing and the fear
of being dropped requisite to keep large class 81
not known from actual trial IN such an Institution what
eject it would have on tonsAtie's SJutnS VINO uugI
that necessary for Ihcm 10 do is 10 keep their audng
up 10 the medium. by hook crook aud whether they
Will be turned out Of the college W.a educated men,
they should have thrown upon themselves ne RESPONSE
biity OF deciding what they should study ana how uucD
OF course there difficulties IN the wy al r,forB
I'm these matters but the question u whether tie prsft
affairs does call for change oi some SORT
Standing still is calculated TO better the evils "Th
exist aud that seems TO be the present policy OF as
College don't wish TO be understood cl rgug upon
the Faculty OF the College the responsibility u ucse Owls
In their educational system except 80 far as tey rn 10
held accountable for not lettering them. Yale has
traditional life which has down from the last cen.
tury which hangs heavy over 10, aud makes H rNiugs
slow and cautious. Its Joints S'h WITH pIrCedt
aud new ideas taken ike unpleasant MEDICINE WIN
great reuctaucc but unless Yale blstrs itself u some
~ la la ny tfl