University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1912-03-29

against the prescribed requirements
for graduation imposed by the Uni
versity authorities. This article is
the result of a great deal of thought
on the subject. 1t is written in the
hope that great many students
will read it. also that ii may sug-
gest the problem to some members
of the faculty.
IL seems to me that the crying
need at present is not for more cleo
tive courses but for many prescribed
or required courses. The reason for
this is apparent. When students are
allowed too wide choice, most of
them will usually select courses along
the line of least resistance. That is,
til Y will take jubjects they are good
in, irrespective of the utility of those
subjects. If a student makes a good
grade i'll beginning French, for in
take two or three more years of
French, and to imagine that he is
especially qualified for that branch
of study: which may not be the case
at all. The result OF this is the mar
rowing down on the part of such
students TO two or possibly three
subjects TO the exclusion of nearly
every other useful course in the Uni
versity curriculum. Some branches
OF study are neglected altogether,
and often they are the courses to be
studied most. The social sciences
have suffered from this neglect per-
haps more than any other branch of
studies in the University.
Now. without attempting to de-
fine education as term. most of us
will agree as to its purpose, which
is to fit one for life, to enable him
TO take his place in society and to
fill it successfully. In other words,
to become an efficient member of
society But how can one be ey-
pected to perform his obligations
when he does not know what society
is or what his responsibilities are?
In advocating the study of the So
cial sciences the writer would es-
pecially emphasize the following
courses: sociology Ia. criminOlogy,
anthropology. American government
and economics. Both men and wO-
men of the University ought to be
compelled to take these courses be-
fore they can graduate. The last
two courses, American government
and economics. apply especially to
the girls. Most men manage to pick
up stray bits of knowledge here and
there. They know nothing of poll
ties. Most of them expect to, or are
already voting-they know that
there is such thing as tariff ques-
tion. for instance, and some of them,
perhaps, know what it is.
But it is appalling to see how few
women study economics and Amer
lean government 1t is safe to say
that twO-thirds of the woman ad-
vOcating wOmen's suffrage do not
know what politics is, or they would
not be so anxious to enter the field.
The remaining Onc-third are the
leaders of the movement. Is this
going to be intelligent voting? The
present system of voting is bad be
cause so many do not understand po-
litics and the workings of a govern
ment. or the significance of their
vote. Such men depend on the party
leaders and their agents for instruc-
ton. And We know in whose inter-
eSts the voter is instructed to vote
The great mass of women voting as
unintelligently as the men. will only
add another difficulty to the prob
EN-. Do We want political rings
and bosses composed of women? If
not. then women will have to know
politics and the important issues of
the day before they can ever attempt
to influence legislation through the
ballot.
Just what is life to be for the Uni
versity graduate? \ series of parties
and good times" in general? APP
parently life is not a series of par
ties for most women. All women
have a more serious and responsible
mission in life. and to be worthy of
fulfilling that mission in life. and
they must broaden out as much as
they possibly can. They must en-
large their sphere of knowledge to
embrace the great problems con-
fronting the American people today,
and every civilized country in the
world There are great industrial
ccnters. and their cOncOmitant prob
lens of child and woman labor and
education. There are industrial and
economic problems to be solved -
the problem of the working people