The sun., 1919-07-20


Semester Va the Quarter Plan" q.
n topic for discussion In our pro-
gramme. I did SO thinking there were
enough divergent elements in the breadth
of the subject to arouse a lively Differ
enee OF opinion which would be OF In
terest to all concerned. The result; a
command from our worthy president to
prepare paper. When I set myself
20 the task of writing such q paper,
however. did not find It 30 easy to
reach conclusion from the facts ms
10 which system would lend itself best
to the average or individual institution.
and shall. therefore, be entirely Impair
tial In my final conclusions. This paper
will treat simply of the relative merits
OF the two systeme. or more correctly
speaking of the three systems, since
there are also involved the questions
whether there should be three or four
quarters and whether a summer session
should be combined with the semester
or the three quarter system.
Perhaps a brief syllabus upon the
various systems will tend to show which
particular plan may best servo the needs
OF an individual institution. Certain 1t
ds the question Is ono that IN being re-
garded as vital by all institutions that
are at present operating upon the SEM
has been somewhat accentuated by the
necessity of adopting the three quarter
basis, under the regulations Of tho War
Department at the opening OF the cur
rent year on tho establishment OF the
Student Army Training Corps. Un.
doubtedly some of the institutions Will
continue from choice to operate on the
system forced upon them by the ext
gencies OF the S. A. T. c., while others
after the experience OF the trial Will, no
doubt gladly revert to their former POSI-
ton. That there Is to be a lack OF uni
forrnity in the systems Is foregone
conclusion, and this fact is certain to
add tn tho registrars burdens and per-
plexties in the cases of transfer OF STU
dents from one institution to another
with standings to be evaluated under
two different systems.
From recent information received
from eighty-five institutions, including
universities and colleges. located IN
general in the central States, II Is In
aicated that so per cent OF the insu-
tutions In this area will continue on the
semester plan. Similar Investigations
were made by the University of Oregon
and the Kansas State Agricultural Col
lese, covering a different territory, al
though a slight duplication here may
Gave occurred. The University OF Ore
gon reports that IS per cent. of the uni
versities replying prefer the semester
plan, while the Kansas Agricultural Col
lege arrives at n figure OF so per cent
Leaving out of consideration the Eastern
institutions which were not included
In this investigation, 1t Is safe to assume
that at least SIS per cent OF the col
leges and universities Will operate next
year on the semester plan. This Is only
an approximation, but for all practical
purposes It will answer in arriving at a
comparison. 1t Is apparent from the
above that the tide in the last few years
shows a strong movement toward the
quarter system. How much further It
may continue to flow in this direction
remains to be seen; but some evidence Is
Indicated in the following data: A year
ago responses from sixty OF the leading
Institutions showed that eleven were
then on the four quarter basis. viz ::
Carnegie Institute Of Technology, Chi
cago. Georgia, Mississippi. New Mexico,
Oregon, Pennsylvania State College
(three quarter SYSTEM, Stanford. Texas.
University OF Washington, and Utah,
or more than one-sixth of the number.
The plan at that time was under con-
sideration in eight other institutions.
namely. Boston, Maine. Missouri, Ohio.
North Dakota, Pittsburg. Syracuse.
University OF Michigan and Western Re-
serve. That the number will now prob
ably show at least 40 per cent. for next
year will give an indication of how
rapid the transition has been during the
year. OF the State universities in this
immediate vicinity. the University OF
Minnesota plans to operate on the four
quarter system, Iowa on the three quar-
ter. Illinois. Indiana. Michigan and
Wisconsin will continue on the semester
basis.
The following systems may be re-
garded as In practice: Two semesters
without summer session; two semesters
with summer session, with six to nine
weeks-in a few cases of ten weeks |;
three quarter system, and four quarter
system. 1t would also be possible to
have a three quarter system with a
shorter summer session.
Before a general discussion of the
main question perhaps 1t would be well
to consider briefly the natural divisions
OF the normal calendar year. Assum-
ing that the college year consists Of
thirty-six weeks It's location In the calen-
dar has a significant bearing. By COM
mon consent Christmas week Is a holi-
day. In fact, with necessary adjust
ments for Sundays about two weeks OF
vacation may be counted on at that
time II a week Is allowed for vacation
some time between January and June
Gotten referred to as the Easter
recess"). the period from the beginning
Of the year until commencement Is
thirty-nine weeks. or an even nine
months. II. now, the year can be so
adjusted that vacations come at the
ends OF terms there Is a distinct ad-
vantage On the semester plan this is
impossible. unless, as in one OF two in
Bitutions in the far West, the college
n mil Of
August and close the I'iddle of May.
On the three term plan the end can be
achieved by opening autumn late In
Beptember and fixing commencement
correspondingly late in June. On the
semester plan opening late In September,
which seems to be accepted as the nor
NAL date, the Christmas vacation falls
at an awkward place in the semester
not moro than four or i've weeks be-
fore the end OF the semester, and three
or four weeks before the examination
enthusiastically a disadvantage. The
Easter recess produces a like osxdition
Tor the second semester. Mechanically
then the odds are H. Us vor OF the three
term plan. |SASogically, however the
case is nA 30 clear, as will be shown
later.
Advantages of Semester system.
!. Less expensive. as to;
(a) Salary, on account OF teaching
stair not being necessarily so large
(b) Administration expenses can be
Kept at a lower minimum registration
and examination OF students twice in
stead OF three or four times a year.
In the Registrars office alone the cost
for additional clerical help In the mat
ter of sending out reports. recording and
81. -