New-York tribune., 1902-07-16
ANDOVER STANDARDS.

What the present relations OF MIR. Arthur W.
Ryder, former instructor in Phillips Andover
Academy, who writes to "Tbe Boston Herald"
concerning cribbing, may be we have no means
of knowing. He may speak with prejudice and
unjustIy reflect upon the conduct of the school,
but the statements which he makes force the
recent cheating there to be considered in a new
light. The AndOver authorities have explained
the matter by saying that the boys who cribbed
were not fitted for the examinations, and took
them despite the schools protest that they could
not honestly meet the requirements. The boys
who had been recommended as properly pre-
pared all passed. Princeton answers that four
teen of the nineteen candidates rejected were
recommended by the school for examination In
four or more subjects. This is not absolutely
conclusive, for, we believe some boys were re-
jected because it appeared that their papers had
been copied from, which might have occurred
through no serious fault Of their own when
several students were sitting close together at
a table. What demands much more serious at
tention is the former tutors statement that
Cheating in examinations is regarded by the
''large majority of students at Phillips Andover
"as legitimate
If that is true no explanation of how some
particular boys were tempted or even invited
to cheat is of any consequence. The character
sentiment of its student body. Mr.. Ryder de-
clares that In his Undergraduate days at the
school QS90'94 a good scholar who refused to
aid his neighbor in a school examination was
thought to have been guilty of meanness and
that this feeling gained even frmer hold in
1S97-9S, when he was an instructor there. He
says that cheating In examinations was only
one manifestation Of deeply rooted evil. "The
attitude Of Andover students toward their
school work must occasion serious apprehen-
"sion among the friends of Phillips Academy:
cheating in oral recitation and in the prepara-
"tion of written work outside the classroom is
carried TO astonishing lengths Cheap and
inaccurate translations of Greek and Latin
classics, written in execrable English, form a
mot inconsiderable fraction of the private IL
"brary of many students Attempts are fire.
"quently-and sometimes successfully-madet to
secure in advance copies of the Yale entrance
examinations"
We do not suppose that this is a picture Of a
unique condition or a new one. Cribbing has
been pretty widely prevalent in schools and
colleges for many years Nor does the tolera-
ton of cribbing, serious as is the evil, neces-
sarily mean that schoolboys are lost to all
moral sense. 1t may be that they have merely
q bad conventional standard. and the RESPONSE
bility for that rests with the school. There
must be something wrong in the relations be-
tween teachers and pupils when a whole COM
munity OF healthy and manly American boys
can regard 1t as point of honor to assist crib
bers, and as a perfectly legitimate enterprise
10 crib themselves. Some think that the system
of espionage and minute regulation OF conduct
characteristic Of the oldtime school encourages
sneaking ways. If the list OF maum prohibitum
is unduly extended TO cover great many things
in themselves harmless which boys are rresist-
IDLY impelled TO do, a sentiment is likely to de-
velOp which justifies deceit and honors smart
ness in beating the authorities On the other
hand, and this we believe Is the Andover view
| it is contended that in every community there
will be a number Of strong willed boys of de-
moralizing principles who, If left TO lead their
| fellows trusted to act on their own sense of
/ honor, will demOraliZe the whole body.
/ 1t would seem as if both dangers ought TO be
/ avoided by close contact without espionage. In
well equipped school there should be enough
| teachers In friendly relations with the boys
taking part in their sports and giving them in
splration. TO counteract the influence of bad
boys and awaken the natural manliness of