The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-09-05


without Fgry Gloss lcrutinx. qandi=|
dates fpt admialton Ito college Who
have had the preparht ION tofiefed BY
the average schpol do mot seem to
possess the necessary knowledge or
skill to pass the examinations. The
college authorities have therefore
consented to take tho word of the
secondary school teachers and have
given up the plan OF testing the can
didates theuiselyesa The result Is that
there are not a dozen colleges In the
United States that do not employ the
certificate system in one form or an
other.
The rapid growth 7of the great
state universities also has probably
been an important factor In the wide
spread abandonment OF college en-
trance examinations. The Legislators
who vote the great, sums necessary
to maintain these institutions feel
that state university should be. In
the broadcast possible sense, for the
people. Admission should be open to
every one who has. completed the
public school course, 1t is assumed
that the work of the state schools is
satisfactory. and therefore gradun-
ton from these schools should be ac-
cepted as giving q complete title for
admission to the state university.
In any case, the legislators do not
believe that an institution supported
by the people should be very excl1-
sive. The admission examinations
are therefore employed only In I'M
usual cases. Under the certificate
system. some Of the state universities
have grown until their enrolment Is
more than 1000 students. though.
to be sure. not all are undergrad
yates. The colleges that are support
ed by private endowment feel them-
selves at disadvantage when COM
pared with such universities as those
Of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan
and Illinois, and, most Of them have
found 1t convenient and advisable TO
fall in with the plan that has helped
to produce such results as in the
widdle western states. 81.
What Is Wrong with the Schools?
Many. college professors express
themselves as being satisfied with this
system. Others complain bitterly of
their students and would welcome
any method that would strengthen
the preparation Of their undergrad
yates. Business, men, professional
men, almost all employers Of young
men and women criticise severely the
work Of the. schools; and hardly a
day passes that one does not hear.
not only complaints, but remedies
almost as numerous. Il
The ineffectiveness OF school work
is due in large measure to the fall
ure Of the authorities to lay SUFFICIENT
emphasis upon thorough and accur-
ate scholarship. The public Is. dis
tracted from the real purpose Of edu-
cation by the novel courses OF study
and by the attractive equipment with
which modern schools are furnished.
A greater attention to examinations
will not, of course, cure all the evils
of which we hear, but 1t will bring
into. the schools a larger element Of
virility and help to relieve, some OF
the fiabbiness which characterized
American education. II, in addition,
we can find some, way of testing in
terms Of ,thoroughness the work Of
the schools, and at the same time
give wider publicity to what they ac-
complish in this respect, we shall
have gone long way towards es-
tablishing sounder ideals OF educa-
ton.
Should College Be Open to All?
The discussion of the merits OF the
certificate system and the examina-
ton system brings with 1t the consid-
Grafton OF what the status of the col
lege should be. Is 1t an advantage or
disadvantage to have admission tc
college easy? Should young students
be encouraged or allowed to go to
the higher institutions, If their pre-
paratory study has not been well
done? Some colleges, by their low
standard of admission, are making
it difficult to hold students in second
airy schools to rigid requirements,
and are therefore contributing to the
slackness of the preparatory work.
No one who has the slightest acquain-
lance with the work OF the high
schools and the private schools
throughout the country will claim for
moment that they are uniformly
good. Yet, in the eyes Of the col
leges that admit by certificate, the
graduate of an obscure high school
has the same standing, provided he
lives I'm IN fhair nor,inoI .an,t,.