Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-01-22

williams and New York university a teacher OF
history the latter college states the New York
Times that he believes the apparent indifference OF
students toward the is indicative Of gen
eral tendency the part Of the public TO neglect
close study Of affairs in Europe Students regard
the task Of keeping abreast Of the multifaring news Of
today too much akin to q major elective. The Times
prints the list of questions with notes the character
Of answers they elected.
The questions asked by members Of the faculty at
both New York university and Bowdoin college were
= follows:
Where is Gallipol?
What is the capital of Bulgaria.
What countries bound Serbian
I'm what country is saloniki? In spite OF the fact
that this city has been frequently mentioned in the
daily during the last two weeks, fortytwo out
OF fifythree students at Bowdoin failed to give the
correct answer and results similar at New York
University. 1t was frequently located in Poland)
ION what is Montenegro? about half of the
students taking the test answered this correctly.
others gave nearly every in Europe and eastern
Asia)
who Is in command Of the French army?
who is the prime minister of Ensland2 winston
Churchill a popular choiceJ
who is Bethmann- Hollweg?
who is Poincare? zone student answered that he
a French artist)
Who IL Venizlos7 CThis the question that per-
picked students both at New York university
and Bowdoin than other-some said that he
French general; others that he was Mexican
rebel)
who is Briand2 tonly eleven correct answers
given at Bowdoln)
who is Won Hlndenburg?
who is General French? zone student at New
York university replied that he the English gen.
eral)
who lie Sir Edward Grey7
who is vivani? CThis question also baffled stu
DENTS and at Bowdoin there were only four correct
although many designated his as an Ttalian)
Name. with the proper title. the ruler of Ger
many?
Name this ruler Of Greece. Cony twenty-three out
OF class of fiftythree Bowdoin students could
this important ruler, results were about the same
at New York University
Name the ruler of Turkey. CThis also received
several surprising answers)
Name the ruler of Italy. zone student said that
he Victor Emmanuel xxx
Name the ruler of Bulgaria. zone gave
him King Augustus)
Name the ruler of Russia"
The williams result not included in the above is
rather better At least twenty out twenty three
knew who commands the French armies. Bowdcin
and New York struggled with him ~Joffree" 'Jof-
fiery" "Geoffrey" "Jeoffrey" The general result at
New York is this:
None answered all the inquiries correctly, while
only three obtained a grade above 90 per cent OF a
class Of twentythree freshmen nine failed while
average rank 6a per cent. Another class of the
same number Of freshmen averaged only 50 per cent
and thirteen failed 10 pass, while class made up OF
upper-classmen did as poorly and averaged a grade
|
The ignorance of the generality OF young men al
college. The Times editorialy. rs charmngly in
| credible" II proceeds thus light-heartedy:
"They have studied and read few books History
outside OF compendium of American and perhaps
Greek and Roman history stuffed with dates un-
speakably dreary and ndigestble art politics. geog
raphy. confused remembrance Of school atlase
ard maps; science, most OF the record of human
achievement are unknown to them. They have for
gotten. 30 able most of schools. most OF The
little learned there They have yet acquired mos
/ of them. the main advantage of the college menta
training, the art OF knowing how to know Some scheme
and skeleton of knowledge. to be filled later theS
are beginning to get They will learn. too-the youni
| gentlemen Of New Brunswick and New York haven
learned II yetto know accurately, not pretend Il
know what they don't But every examiner Is awar
OF the want OF concentration. the mental confusion
| the reluctant working OF the brain. that are n
| common among the victims OF college-examinations
1t takes time. except in the OF brilliant minds
| learn how to pass examination Mistakes OF hast
common. In examination which fdoesn'
count like this REORGANIZATION possibly the temptl
ton to kid the professor wasn't wholly wanting"
A comparison OF results in the many classe
where weekly review is used a text book woul
be interesting.