New-York tribune., 1907-11-30
COLLEGE J Avs Barred,
FEWER STUDIES URGED.
Wilson FdUOrs More Thorough
Training in Subjects Taught.

The discussions at the tWenty-frst annual con-
yeuton Of the Association OF Colleges and Pre-
raratory Schools of the Middle States and Mary
land. which began yesterday morning in Townsend
Hall Of the College Of the City of New York al
Amsterdam avenue and 138th street. centred upor
come OF the apparent defects the present day
college system That colleges are not getting the
best results from the efforts Of those that enter
on q university course seemed 10 be generally ad-
rlit;ed. The fault found not in the pupil, but
in the teaching efficiency and methods of impart-
ing 10 students that knowledge which Will best
n him for successful career.
Thomas n. Ballet, dean Of the New York Uni
versitv. read paper at the morning session OF
The Influence of the Present Methods Of Grad
uste Instruction Upon the Teaching in the Sec
ondsry School. in which he declared that tho
methods Of instruction In the graduate schools
are not effective in training teachers for tho
secondary schools as they confessedly in train<
ing teachers for the universities, and that g
consequence the knowledge received specific
work does adequately train the teachers to
present the subjects Of the secondary school cur
riculurn they should be presented.
The afternoon session was taken up with spir-
ited debate the Admission 20 Colleges by
Certificate which started by Rush Rhees,
president OF the University Of Rochester, who
IN favor Of the plan adopted by the New England
colleges Of admitting students the certificates
Of preparatory schools recognized by a college
entrance board
II was said that some OF the big colleges and
universities have recognized certificates from pre-
parato-y schools and accepted them as salts
factory substitutes for entrance examinations and
that wherever dissatisfaction existed with the
work Of the college first year men coming from
these schools the blame has generally been placed
on the preparatory schools To offset this diff
Guilty il believed that board composed -
representatives from all the colleges represented
~ the convention should pass upon the teaching
efficiency and curriculum Of studies in the prerara-
tory schools and that the colleges represented on
the hoard should accept the certificate of the
schools 50 approved substitute for college
entrance examinations.
With NJ. Rhees in favor OF this plan was Pro
fessor John x. Lord, or Dartmouth College. who
spoke length this plan as the one adopted
by the college entrance certificate board In New
England William ". Birdsap, principal Of the
High School for Girls OF Philadelphia and Profess
sor Edwin s CrawIey Of the University Of Penn
sylvsnia- spoke in OF establishing this board
a means of raising the standard of some of
the preparatory schools and likewise the efficiency
Of the freshmen in college coming from those
schools
Charles D. Larkne. principal Of the Manual
Training High School. of Brooklyn. opposed the
plan Virgil Prettyman. Of the Horace Mann
School slso disapproved any plan that would tend
70 pass Judgment on the standard Of efficiency
in his school. when ne felt that some college pro
fessors thought II a duty TO funk two-thirds Of
the IN the freshman year.
President Woodrow Wilson Of Princeton Uni
versity entered into the debate just before he
announced fhSt he would have 10 give way in the
chair 10 Vice-President Walter r. Marsh If St
Pauis School Garden City, Long Island. on ac-
count Of an engagement Mr.. Wilson believed that
an entrance examination was the only means a
university had of preventing pupil from vast
ing time hy attempting 10 begin q college career
when he was not Mt for II. matter how well
recommended he came 10 ability. character
influence for good, and added
Why. II the Angel Gabriel wanted enter
Princeton University. amount Of influence he
could bring 10 bea- could land him inside Old Mas
Eau's gates if he was deficient in Latin grammar
Or hadn't made himself familiar enough with quad
ratio equations TO pass entrance examinations
The illustration caused great amount Of laugh
ter and applause
President Wilson made the principal address
the evening session. He favored a reorganization
Of the present curriculum in colleges Or Wilson
favored fewer studies and thorough training in
them
The only way in which American people have
not shown a genius for organization" said DR..
Wilson, is that they have not shown genius for
sirnpliNcation' -