Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-01-20
DELAWARE COLLEGE.
First of a Series OF Articles Intended to Aid
Teachers HhD Are Preparing Students to
EnInr Thnn InatlInfinn.

First of Series of Articles Intended to Aid
Teachers RhD Are Preparing Students to
Enter That INSTITUTION.
Candidates seeking admission TO the
freshman class of Delaware College 10
the year 1859 will fiud the entrance
requirements in English somewhat
more difficult to meet than those Of thu
current year. In view of this fact this
newspaper will publish from time TO
time during the next five months arti-
oies intended to aid SUCH teachers as
are engaged In preparing students 10
enter the college. These articles. to be
prepared by member of the college
faculty. will point out specifically tho
sort of instruction needed by such
students as wish to pass with credit the
examinations in American literature
and English composition. This, tho
frat OF the articles. is intended as q
general introduction to the serieB.
Young men hereafter seeking admis-
sion to delaware College will be RS
quired to give evidence Of some
acquaintance with the lives aud works
of Irving, Poe, Hawthorne, bryant,
Longfellow, Holmes and Whittier.
Candijates are not expected 10 have
critical acquaintance with The works Of
these masters or minute knowledge of
their lives, but to give evidence of hav-
ing read understandinely specific
pnems, stories or essays, to be here
after indicated, and TO have such bio
graphical knowledge OF the authors
named as ia furnished by text bucks
already used IN the schools. In case
these text books do not contain ths
selections recommended for reading or
the biographical information required,
these articles will point out other
sources Of such material
1t is not expected that the already
over burdened teachers of the public
schools will materially add TO their
lahors by reason of the suggestions con-
tained in these articles. On the con-
trary the aim will he to suggest
methods whereby the ends sought eau
be comprised with the least expendi
ture of laboer. Much of the prepare
tion needed by those about to seek ad
mission to Delaware Collegs ought, in
decd, to be made by the candidates
themselves with little other aid from
teachers than such suggestions as these
articles may seem to demand.
Entrance examinations in English
composition were advanced at the close
Of the last collegiate year and will be
further advanced at the close of the
present collegiate year, in June. 1898.
An acquaintance with technical Eng
lish grammar, although required of
candidates, is not held SO important as
practical skill in composition. 1t was
shown by the entrance examinations oil
June and September last that cRndi-
dates who are able to pass fairly
creditable examination in technical
grammar may be utterly unskilled in
composition, so much SO indeed as to
be incapable of putting together half a
dozen written sentences with decent
regard for grammatical and rhetorical
construction. Twenty out Of rather
more than 90 applicants for admission
to the freshman class of the present
collegiate year were rejected, and Of
these 20 not one could have passed q
much easier examination in English
composition than that required Of them.
Some suggestions will be made RS tc
the best method OF shaping instruction
to advanced classes in English grammar
so as to make such instruction direct
aid TO improvement in composition, and
specific suggestions as to instruction in
the latter branch will also be made.
Candidates for admission to Della.
ware College are required to pass ar
examination in English reading. This
examination is directed less toward as
certainiDg the proficiency of candidates
in the graces of eloeution. though fail
Evolutionary skill is demanded, thar
toward determining their taste in liter,
allure as evidenced by their apprecia
tion of mn authors sense, and theiI
familiarity With the pronunciation and
meaning of words. An accurate. taste.
full and appreciativs reading of literary
selections will be held TO give valuable
testimony as to the fitness of a candi
date to pursue the study of literature.