The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-01-28
COLLEGE Men FAIL
IN QUIZ ON WAR
Test Shows Students Are Ig-
nOrant of Current Events.
MANY LUDICROUS ANSWERS

Examinations In Three institutions Re-
suit In College Authorities Seeking
Corrective Measures to Overcome
Deficiency-BelieVe Students Are In
different to European Affairs.
New York.-Whether the ignorance
of the college student OF today is rep
resentative of n growing Indifference
on the part of the American public to-
ward events, persons and places init
mately associated with the European
war is question which college and
university authorities are investigat
ing as a result of examinations recent
ly held under the auspices Of three rep
resentative Institutions. AS an imme
date result of the recent quiz on con
temporaneOus events conducted at New
York university, where an average
grade of 5S per cent was the rating
shown by fifty nine students, several
members of the faculty are looking for
corrective measures to overcome this
deficiency.
1t was stated by member Of the de
partment Of history at the New York
university that he believed the appar
ent Indifference of students toward the
present war was indicative OF a gener-
al tendency on the part of the public to
neglect a close study of affairs in Eu
/ rope. That the surprising lack Of in
formation Of affairs Immediately con
nected with the war was not peculiar
to students at any university was fur
ther expressed rs the opinion of Pro
fessor A. III. Mason. assistant profes-
sor of English at New York university
Professor Mason. who submitted TWEEN
ty-one questions TO students In his va
rious classes. pointed out that the ques-
tions used have also been submitted
| to students Of two other institutions
a middle western state university and
Bowdoin college whesc the results
were about the same.
Dean Kenneth G. NJ. Sills of Bow
doin college Is quoted as saying, Il do
not think college men of New England
colleges are very steady newspaper
readers" and referred to the matter
as "lamentable, but not surprising"
Some of the questions asked by au-
thorities at both Rowdoin college and
New York university received answers
which in many cases were ludicrous.
At Bowdoin out of class of tifty-three
students twenty were ignorant rs to
the location of Gallipoli, which in
many cases was put variously in Italy,
France, Bulgaria. Greece ana Berlin.
New York university students answer
ed the same question with apparently
as little accuracy.
! The French General Joffre was va
riously designated by students at both
institutions as "Joffree,' "Joffery,"
"Geoffrey" and "Jeofrey," indicating a
general unfamiliarity with even news
paper headlines. The question, "Who
Is VenizelosT' resulted in similarly RI
diculous answers Some recollected
/ the ex-premier of Greece as a Spanish
artist, another said that he was a Mex
/ lean rebel, while still another designat-
ed him as the premier of Italy. When
asked "Who is the present ruler of
EnglandY several students replied va
riously King Edward, George Ill. Nv.
or VI as the correct information.
In the department of history at New
York university Assistant Professor
/ Theodore Il. Jones submitted current
questions to a class of students in Eu-
ropean history, among which was the
4 query. Where is Christianiag' Only
/ two students knew it's location, in spite
of the fact that the daily papers of the
day before all contained long accounts
of the landing of the Ford party AT
| that city. One student of the same
class half seriously answered the ques-
ton, "Who is Sir Douglas HagueY by
stating that he would answer the ques-
ton correctly IL told where the other
"Haig" was.
OF the fifty-nine students taking the
examination at New York university
none answered all of the inquiries cor
rectly, while only three obtained q
grade above 90 per cent. OF class OF
twenty-three freshmen nine failed
while the average rank was 63 pei
cent Another class of the same mum
ber Of freshmen averaged only So pei
cent, and thirteen failed TO pass, while
a class made up Of upper class men die
rs poorly and averaged a grade OF
only 81 per cent.