The San Francisco call., 1896-08-28

of the Ruskin Club last evening by openly
denouncing the credit system as used in
the university and in the public schools.
He declared the principle of awarding
prizes for scholarship to be conducive of
great harm to the students, since it created
in them desire to attain high markings
not for the pure virtue in these markings,
but for the reward that might be gained
through them.
He attacked the university with vehe.
mence, because he was most closely con-
nected with it, and because it had both a
percentage system and a prize medal
which was offered annually to the most
dis tinguished student.
al have not the least confidence in the
competitive system of marking" said the
professor, "either as practiced in the State
University or in the public schools. Where
a competitive system is used the only
aim of the students is to get ahead of one
another and not to improve their minds.
"All they think about when they sit down
to study is how they can get their lessons
SO as to take higher ranking than the
others. They get into rut and learn
their lessons to order. Some students
work hard so as to get their names on the
roll of honor, or to get medal, or to have
their names and pictures put in the paper.
That is the way the high school children
university the case becomes much worse,
and matters frequently go so far as to
create dire hatred between students who
are in the race for first place on the roll.
"a student once told me that he felt
like shooting fellow-classman who had
got one-sixteenth OF credit more than he,
and who, in his opinion, should not have
had that ne-sixteenth. There is trouble
nearly every year over the award OF the
university gold medal, and | would like to
know what good it does the winner after
he gets it, or how much good he got while
striving for it that he would not have
otherwise received?
Students should do their work for the sake
of the work itself, and not in the hope of
any reward. :"
The professor said that he had been in
strumental in reducing the old system of
percentage used at the university to the
section system, as now practiced. He said
also that he would do his uttermost to
throw out the present system and give
students either passes or failures. He
advocated the calling of special meeting
of the Ruskin Club to discuss the matter
and to devise means of having the COM
netitive system thrown entirely out of the
university and the public schools.
MUCH QlSSSuelOA Ou tuc pdIb VI Aio ACdl-
ers was manifest, and in consequence no
meeting of the club was called TO discuss
the matter.
The Ruskin Club is made up of about 150
of the brightest minds in Berkeley, many
mem beis being professors and their fami-
lies. About seventy-five were present at
the open meeting last night, which was
held at the residence of Charles Keeler,
the Berkeley poet and author.
New Building Proposed.
BERKELEY. CAL, Aug. 27.-The con-
struction of natural sciences building for
the State University has been suggested as
a means of relieving the present over
crowding. If such building were secured
the physics laboratory, the geological de-
partmens and the university museums
would be placed in it, thus leaving South
Hall almost entirely vacant SO that it
could be used as North Hall now is, for
class rooms.
More Amateur Sprinters.
BERKELEY, CAL, Aug 27.-The foot
race at West Berkeley last Sunday has at
tracted much attention, and resulted in
the making of other matches. Dick Knott
and Antoine Shakoff will race $50 yards on
next Sunday for $50 side.
College Day at the Fair.
BERKELEY, CAL, Aug. 2Z-A meeting
of the Associated Students OF the univer-
sity will be held in the near future for the
purpose Of arranging programme for