The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-31
SYSTEM IN STAT
SHOULD. Be BETTE
Professor Blackwell Points Out
a Great Defect Therein.
EVIL OF NO EXAMINATIONS
EVIL OF NO EXAMINATIONS
Reception in the Higher institutions of
Boys Who Are Not Prepared Spells
Education of the Boy and Hurts
the Cause Of Education.
BY Prof. r E.. Blackwell, of RandoIph>
Macon.

There is q movement just now to im-
prove our system of education in Viz
GINA. We all rejoice at 1t. 1t was greatly
needed. Especially should all institutions
of higher learning aid in this movement;
for unless the common schools become
more effective, our colleges and unlver-
stiles will have fewer and fewer aca'
demic students in proportion to popula-
ton. The number of students taking the
arts course in our Virginia schools OF
higher learning is lamentably small Our
boys are going into the professions often
from the common schools with most in
adequate preparation for their profess
sonal study. Unless our home schools
are made more effective, and unless our
sons are given a more thorough aca-
demic training, Virginians will not be
prepared to meet the fierce competition
that will confront the coming genera
'tion.
In my opinion. one of the most serious
obstacles to the upbuilding of our home
schools is the action of our colleges ana
universities in admitting unprepared stu
dents to their halls. This evil has been
and still is, very great. but I think that
ell educators are becoming aroused TO the
evil. Washington and Lee University has
been for several years requiring entrance
examinations. All colleges in the North
tutions in the South require them. Why
should not all the Virginia colleges?
SHOULD BE EXAMINED.
The evil of the lack of entrance eNami-
ma tons is manifest 1t works to the detri-
ment of the boy; he is too often sacrI.
feed to swell the numbers on the col
lege roll A boy determines to go off to
a college. If the professors examined
him they would know that he is incapa-
Bile of doing the work that they require
of their students. They perhaps find it
cut soon after the session begins; but it
is not the policy of the Institution to
send such boys home, and he IS allowed
to stay on till the close of the session.
Then, having failed in his studies, he re-
turns home discoura ged. and his father.
feeling that it is useless to try to edu
cate him. puts him into business. Thus
an educated man is lost to the State. and
the institution gets the discredit in that
community of having AN uneducated man
as its representative.
This is the most favorable view of the
unfortunate case. Not lnfreQuently a stu
dent, finding himself unable to keep up
with his classes becomes idle and easily
gets into dssipated habits
This evil of bringing men to college
before they are prepared is increased
by the habit of Virginia institutions of
employing csnvassers. Frequently such
canvasses are young and inexperienced
alumni, sometimes not even teachers.
who cannot be expected to consider or
even to know what is best for q student.
A professor of the institution would be
more apt to consider the needs of the
boy and would advise one who is utterly
unfit for college to stay at home and
prepare himself