The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-25
RADICAL CHANGES


The faculty OF Brown University is
considering plans for some OF the most
radical changes I'm the curriculum and
made for years.
In the flrst place. II Is proposed that
the present entrance certificate i'm Engs
lish and history be abolished and that
all entering the university be compelled
10 pass am examination I'm these two
subjects. In this way II is expected
that the preparatory schools will be
department of work. Prof. Hammond
Lamont in his last report to the pres
ident. said:
The admission certificate in Eng
lish should be abolished for the simple
reason that as a guarantee of prepara-
tion u is worthless. In the days when
we learned all coarse print in the gram
mar and parsed through Polloks
Course OF Time the instruction may
have been TOO mechanical To satisfy
the hunger of the soul. but the tradi-
tion OF teaching was so well estab-
lished that the product was fairly uni
form. This parsing drill, however has
been replaced by a bewildering variety
OF language lessons and exercises IN
simple sentences and composition for
children. A further change has been
the recent college requirement that
certain books are TO be not merely
read. but studied. The result is that
except in the few best schools the
teaching OF English is either indeh-
nlte In aim or Inadequate. Nominally
nj MI
lty to write respectfully, such an ac
quaintance with half dozen books as
may be gained by thoughtful reading,
ana such a minute knowledge OF half
dozen other books as may be gained
by careful study AS a matter of fact
probably less than one-thrd OF the
Brown FRESHMEN who receive certlf-
Gates could pass our entrance exam
nation. We have no direct test OF the
thoroughness Of the reading and study
but, Juuging from the condition OF the
Few who take the examination, and
from what the students themselves
say, Il believe that while four-fifths of
the candidates have done the reading
properly, not more than one-elghth
have done the study. In the compost
ton, for which we have n test In
rhetoric ?, 3. fully half the candi-
dates are so poorly prepared that on
reasonable standard ~ marking they
N'tib tf' UIrl TERM. let, ndNsng
once accepted the certificates, we can
not reputiate them by wholesale. Con-
sequently, though from fifth to a
fourth OF the class fail. we are still
combehed 10 keep the standard dis
gracefully low. Our only way out of
the difficulty Is to examine in English
every candidate for the freshman class
until the schools find out what we want
and succea4 i'm furnishing it,"
A1Jther change considered by the
faculty is the poss biiity OF Allowing
the candidate for the degree b cheIor
OF arts to drop either Latin or Greek his
freshman year. This will give the can
didate an opportunity to begin his work
In rhetoric before his second year.
third change proposed Is the max
ing the elementary course I'm English
literature n required course for all
those who are 10 receive the degree A.
Is. AS II is, many students graduate
from college without taking any courses
in English literature.
fourth proposition which will soon
be acted upon Is the making of the
study of American history one OF the
courses required for the degree bache-
Tor OF arts. The course i'm American
story is now conducted by Prof T.
Franklin Jameson.
III all these changes are made II will
involve radical change i'm the direc-
tion OF the faculty supervising the pres
crt elective system.