The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-27
LAST SENIOR WRANGLER.
The Old Scholastic Honor at Cambridge
which Hal Been Abolished.

luO Otu SCn0ho8oC kNO0Of ~ SHhUFluB
which Has Been Abolished.
LONDON. juno 16.-The senior wran
glership Is the most coveted scholastic
distinction to which the Cambridge
undergraduate can aspire. Oxford's greaI
degree Is the classical, and her blue ribbon
il 2 first class in -litere humaniores.
the final honors examination in classics.
To the outside world one Oxford frs
class classic 10 as good Is another. fol
the list Is issued in alphabetical order
but Cambridge for. the last II;
years has been more precise in ranking
those who take honors in her star school
which Is mathematics. They are dividee
into three casses-wranglers, senior
optimes and junior optimes-and each
class is ranged in order OF merit. The
best man in the first class is the senior
wrangler.
Yesterday saw the last Of the senior
wranglers. In future the three classes
though bearing their old names, will
be arranged in alphabetical order. The
proud distinction OF being the last Of the
senior wranslers was generally oonsid-
cred to lie between W. j. Daniel Of Trinity
and Louis joel Mordell Of st. Johns, the
son Of Phineas Mordell Of Philadelphia.
Daniel. who was born in Valparaiso,
was the winner, and Mordell was placed
third.
It is generally considered that Mordell
threw away his chance by refusing to
work with a private coach. Undergrad
yates who aima at a high place in the mathe:
NAUTICAL tripos invariably work with an
experienced private tutor in addition to
the ordinary tutors and lecturers that are
available to all. The need for such a
coach explains the reason for the change
In the method OF classification that has
now boon made.
The rising mathematician has hitherto
had to divert his energies to the task Of
shining In a rather clumsy form Of exam
nation. To take a high place he has had
to spread himself v many branches OF
his subject and here the experience and
Witness Of the expert coach. who knows
the WAYS OF examiners. Is Of the utmost
value. Now specialization 10 the ideal
which the new scheme in Cambridge
mathematics will foster and the student
will be able to devoteh himself to the spe-
oifio branch Of mathematics which he has
elected to study without risking a high
place in the list.
On behalf Of the change it Is urged'that
mathematics Is both the oldest and the
most complex and varied Of the sciences.
II has so many paths hat it Is only by
leaving some OF them untrodden that any
can do work Of lasting Importance
while genius may from time to time
triumph over versatility high talent
may be wasted in competing with it..
Still there ia a very general feeling of
regret that the term Senior Wraneler.
which is now a household word, should
become a thing Of the past, and the public
interest in the competition for who should
DO the last TO hold the honor has been
as keen. and general as IL it were
the result Of the Derby or the Oxford
and Cambridge boat race.
Tho words wrangler and tripos came
to be used In connection with the Cam
examinations in the following
way. The schools Of tho Middle Ages
from classic times a belief in
the dialcctical methods OF teaching and
Of testing truth, Thus the descendant OF
the Platonio academy may be discerned
in the medieval "act" for n degree the
candidate "~wrangllng" with an approved
master OF arts in the presence and under
the guidance OF a moderator.
Tho word iripos has a less distinguished
1t meant In the first instance
neither more nor less than a three-legRed
stool, A certain "ould b%achilour" used 10
sit on this three legged stool, and as
to- academic honors were re-
quired to dispute or -~wrangle" with him
20 prove their merit. The "ould bachi-
lour' was %nioknamed after his stool and
called Mr.. Tripos, and after the abolition
his Office the name was applied to the
examinations which took his place.