University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1910-03-07

Tastes and Tendencies OF Pupils
was read by President A. Ross Hill AT
indianapolis. Wednesday morning.
Just how far we should go in recog-
nizing individuality OF taste ana tend
ency among high school pupils. espe-
cfally during the earlier years OF the
course. is not very easy 10 determine
with precision and detiniteness. ne
vouth is more OF less unstable and
whimsical in his tastes then, he Is
everything by turns and nothing long
and il is one OF the functions ol sec
ondarv education to reveal to the
pupil and to his teacher and guarulaii
what his permanent and dominant
interests are and in what direction
his greatest capacities for work ana
usefulness lie This in itself would
seem to impose some restrictions Oh
the elective systems in secondary euu-
cation. This was recognized by the
committee OF ten on secondary school
studies of the y. +. A. wherein the
committee advised i'll favor OF post
( pOning the choice between literary
and scientific curricula till as late as
/ possible in the four years course
! since the choice between these TWO
roads often determines for life the
youth's career" Moreover, they be
! lieved that 1t is possible to make this
/ important decision for Il boy on good
grounds only when he has had oppor-
;unity to exhibit his quality and dis
cover his tastes by making excursions
into all the principal fields Oh knoWi-
edge. The wisest teacher. or the most
ohSnrvant parent" and one might add.
still less the youth himself, can
hardly predict with confidence boy
lift for a subject which he has never
touched" This led the committee to
suggest that during the first two years
OF the high school course, literary,
historical. mathematical and scientific
subjects should all be properly repre-
.,.nreI Now. we have made some
progress Sluce that committees re-
port was published. and we would
doubtless want representation for in
dustrial and commercial work, but the
essential principle involved seems
equally yajld today.
10 my mind there is at least one
.tii"r ground for restricting the appli'
cauou OF the elective system in sec
2ndarv education. Some variety Of
study is nelptul at this stage in giving
. that insight into our civilization which
, Is an essential clement n modern
! culture, ana some continuity of train
tng is important in developing sOunC
habits ct accurate Hni systemati.
Thinking mat are essential TO efficiency
Every nigh school graduate shoulC
: nave the habits OF thinking that maxi
Tor efficiency and also ne able 4
, share in the great aesIheticli and cui
turat values OF human life and b'
,- reSpon,.r. 40 the demands that Societ,
' VIII make upon him. This led AZ
other committee OF the y. I, A. tina
on college entrance requirements. :,
recommend the maintenance OF Ger
tain c0rstautS in those requirements
;. These constants included certain
number OF units i'll English. foreign
languages, mathematics history an
science, ana it was recommended tha
!, the remaining units be elective. Ieay
ing about one half OF the high SchoO
STUDENTS time To the pursuit of thcs
= studies which seem best suited L
, his indiN idual tastes and tendencies
or seem to bear most directly upO
his probable future vocation. TheS
" constants were two in English. fou
in languages. two in mathematics, on
in history and one in science. and tn
same general fields. Here again W
would probably agree today to wide
the field of electives at least. and t
be less insiStent upon the number {
, units required in foreign language
- hut ! see no reason for radical d,
parture from the principles laid dow
by that committee OF this association
How do present college entranc
: requirements in this country compar
' with those recommended by thes
committees OF the y. f. A.? On III
average. they follow them ver
: closely: a small number of importal
colleges being slightly more rigid
" their demands than the suggestion
oi the reports and a large numb'
affording opportunities for create
-. l!eyibility than any recognized boo
OF educators in this country has see
fit to recommend To substantiate tn
statement, it is only necessary
examine the catalogues of typical i
:. stitutionS. begin with the olde
American institution OF higher educ
ton, Harvard College
The entrance requirements at HI
ward are as follows: three years
English. two years of French or G,