The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-28
BUNNY HUG FOUND
AS FACULTY TOPIC
Fudge and Football Too Inter
est College Directors, Says
Teacher Critic.
INTELLIGENCE sLIGHTED
Advertising Methods AsSailed
Before National Council Of
English Teachers.

Special pespntch TO THE NEw YORK FIEsAp.
CHICAGO. NOV pa sizzling ar
raignment Of American colleges for their
machinelke methods and their puerile
,dvertislng policy was made by Prof
Rolo Walter Brown Of Carleton Colr
lege. Mortified MINI, at the meeting
OF the National Council Of Teachers OF
English at the Art Institute to-day
I Prof Brown said he had attended hum
dreds Of faculty meetings. only 10 hear
I his confreres discuss subjects like the
following
Whether frat members should dance
the Bunny Hug
How late the co-eds should use the
kitchen to make fudge.
How often a student might go to
sleep in class without acquiring de-
merits
what kind of paddle should be used
to initiate a sophomore into Eta Beta Pi.
Foolish. nonsenslcal topics" said
PROF Brown. land not word about the
problem of helping the exceptional stu
dent Our 90 lege faculties are con-
cerned only with the mental Stacker and
the laggard they have geared their
machinery to the suggards pace
intelligence Neglected.
II a student comes late to class, If
he va tes his time In p olrooms; If
lie fails IN his examinations. the faculty
VIII AXE an interest in him. IF he is
eager and wiling TO so ahead. If he
shows any signs whatever of intell.-
sence. he is neglected. Our cole es
are lavishing all their thought on the
weak and Indifferent
Ana they are getting just the kind
Of students they invite. If the adver-
Using methods Of the average COLLEGE
were pursued by a mail order house
the latter could be sued for obtaining
money under false pretense
In their advertising literature they
lay the main stress on athletics. They
hire otball coach, make him mem
Der of the faculty and set him to the
task of teaching English. This with
the idea OF attracting the students.
ASK the average freshman why he
entered college and you will find out
that he came because the football team
won last year. He can tell you the
name of the football captain or the
coach. but will stare blankly at you If
you ask him the name Of the president
or any of the professors.
'"rhe Advertising literature that goes
out in the form OF undergraduate pub
locations has just as bad an effect. The
reader obtains from It an idea OF social
pleasures and of fraternity activities.
Here. TOO. athletics IS given the most
prominence / am not opposed to social
life IN colleges or to athletics, but l
don't believe they are the main issues.
Purpose of College.
such advertising methods start
vicious circle. The graduate goes our
and becomes trustee of the state UNI
ersity He engages star football
coach and attracts students. He loses
sigh, OF the fact that the purpose OF
college Is TO educate individuals-to turn
out good fin shed product to produce
quality rot quantity.
mo wonder students SIT through class
room lectures and draw cartoons or read
novels instead of taking notes. II they
have any intelligence at all, they know
that week before the final examina-
lions they can cram up on the subject
ard pass with flying colors. Capable OF
work at high speed. they are held back
by the slow moving mass
1.-THE attitude of the average student
seems to be we are here because we are
here He has no intellectual enthu-
siasm- is not encouraged. His ability is
measured by the yard stick or the bushei
basket
These cumulative standards begin
with the requirements for admss on. II
the n gh school boy has the necessary
sixteen credits, including typewriting,
stock Judging and the school band, ne IS
aduitteN III he can specialize in one or
two subjects and has not made the
school band or dabbled In stock tudg eng
he Is refused admission. Our colleges
arc too busy determining units to look
for or welcome the enthusiastic scholar
Newspapers and English.
Teaching the ability to read the news
naper with economy and discrimination
was Outlined as a part of the new Eng
fish programme by James F. Hosic OF
Chicago. president Of the council. Mr..
Hosic discussed new aims In English
teaching while making the annual presi-
dental address TO the councils conven-
ton
THE newspaper is the most powerful
factor in forming opinion In country
that is governed by public opinion. MT
Iosic said ITO have good newspapers
we must however. have an educated
clientele
Like everything else. newspapers are
as good as their readers demand. All
journalists look forward to tho possi-
bility of Improvement In the quality OF
their newspapers as their reading pub
lie responds TO better and more dignified
treatment OF current events"