The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-02-15
ABOLISH EXAMINATIONS AND UNIVERSITY WOULD Be
RELOCATED TO THE rear, SAYS DEAN BRANNob
HEAD Of ARTS DEPARTMENT SHOWS EQUAL DIVISION AMONG STU.
DENTS ON eCEsTIoN%TMEH ARGUE FOR AND AGAINST PLAN. U.s.
ING cRAMMING, CHEATING AND ALLEGED UNFAInNEss As BA.

II examinations We're abolished at
inc university Of North Dakota that
institution would not he recognized by
any of the other institutions In the
country n the result would lie chaos
destruction. Such was the state
ment made at university c%onvocation
this morning by Dean Nj. A. Brannon
ct the arts department. Dean Bran
non obtained the views Of many I
dents in the arts college on certain
academic matters by sending out uues-
ttonatres and his talk this morning
was based on these opinions.
Shall examinations he abolished? %
was the subject that lie spoke on and
he presented a great many arguments
for and against the proposition. Dean
lBrannon received rcpl' IS to his qucs-
lions from l02 students out of u total
Of 100 in the department. Some of
inc questions which he asked arc "why
did you decide to enter colIegc?"
|"Arc you realizing the purpose YOU
had in mind when you came to the
University Of North Dakota" "Hou'
much time do you give outside Of the
class room to each subject in which
you are cnrolled?' "IIave you any
suggestions to make with reference to
Improving the scholarship and the cul-
Iturc of the liberal arts collcge?' care
you In favor OF retaining or doing
away with examination n why?''
and lastly. "IfSve you any suggestions
TO make respecting the improvements
the literary organizations in the in
stttutton?" The replies which we're
received to these questions were many
and varied. Some came to school for
lculture. some for business and others
to take courses. So that they could
teach school.
Fffty.onc Against Exams.
There were fifty-one in favor OF
eliminating examinations entirely and
the same number wanted to retain
them. Some of the reasons given for
adjustment of examination were that
they are not fair tests on the subjects:
they make students nervous from wor.
rying about them; they cause stu.
dents to cram: in many cases exam
inations tempt students to cheat; they
there is too much chance connected
with them.
The favorable comments on the
proposition were that examinations
are fair tests: students make a thor.
|ough review OF the SUBJECTS. a higher
leverage of diligent work is obtained
Through the entire semester; examina
tons help to develop the memory;
they enable the instructor to deter
mine the efficiency of his york with
the students and the tendency to bluff
in daily recitations is corrected.
Can Improve Method.
Dean Brannon has become convinc.
ed that examinations should not be en-
tirely eliminated. but that the method
of giving them can be somewhat i'm.
proved. Educational experts all ovci
the country claim that the trouble
is much worse in England than it is
in the United States because too much
stress is put upon the examinations
Dean Brannon believes that the OK
Nominations should count about twenty
five per cent and the daily work scv.
enty-tive per cent of tho marks OF
students in the different studies ani
in this the importance of tho
class room would be impressed upor