University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1913-09-21
Is TIE COLLEGE MAKING GOOD!

rs the College Making Good?
In 1872 he received answers to 100 !
letters sent to graduates OF six
women's colleges. In 1913 he ad-
dressed the graduates OF five universe |
ties. receiving 449 replies from 1875 |
letters. These letters were turned
over TO a high school English teacher
TO grade as she would grade the COM
positions of her class. 1t was simple
test of composition, grammar, spell
ling and punctuation.
The passing mark was fixed at 40.
Here is the result for the girls:
From 90 TO 100. letters.
From so to 80. 0......17 letters.
From 10 to S0..........45 letters.
Below 7O................35 letters
The result of the grading of the
mems letters was some better:
From 80 to 10..........45 letters
From 30 to 100 45 letters.
From SO to 90..........14 letters.
From 20 to so. ......19 1919 letters.
Below 10. .........59 letters.
Mr.. Box accuses the 1.426 students
who did not reply of gross discourtesy.
The self-addressed. stamped envelope
entails moral obligation upon the
person receiving it to reply, he main
tains.
Mr.. Box did not take into considera
ton that the college senior about to
graduate is busy with exams and other
work than answering a circular letter
desiring that he write, ostensibly for
publication, letter telling whether
the college had benefited him and, if
so. how. No doubt he felt that the
college had benefited him, but he also
had learned enough to know how little
he really knew and did not care to
make any assertions until he had
formed an opinion based upon the re-
suit of several years work outside of
college. Then he could tell what the
college had done for him. Hence it
was probably the best students that
did not answer Mr. Bok's letter and
the self-confident few, who had not
yet got over that freshman feeling of
how great am L. who answered.
But that does not excuse the Eng
lish The fact that any student can
get through university and be award
ed a degree on his nerve or his ability
in some one branch in which he
specializes without reference to his
use of English is lamentable. The
freshman English teacher says, But
what can l do? l would have him in
my classes for two years if l had to
teach him the rudiments of grammar
spelling, composition and punctuation
We cannot hold over those, too long
who are deficient, for more are com,
ing and there is not room. Besides
it is the duty of the preparatory
school to teach those things"
There is the point The university
should be more strict in the admis
sion of students Hampton Institute
requires each applicant to write {
letter requesting admission, givins
sufficient other information to be
fair test of the writer's ability t.
write good letter If the spelling i
poor. grammar and punctuation dis
regarded, or the writing careless O
illegible, the applicant is not admitted
The policy is good.
On the other hand, it is a disgrac
that any student should be graduate
from any college or university an
not be able to write letter that woul
get grade OF 20. If you know tha
YOU are deficient in English. that you
preparatory work was sighted. enter
a class in English composition an
endeayOr TO improve.
Perhaps in time the college an
university will come to realize the in
portance of a good use of English an
grade all papers and theses for spell
ing and grammar as we'll as for tex
In the meantime the college educa
ed man is making good, and doir
much better than the man who d
not go to college because he kne
enough already.