Evening star., 1927-09-04
Experiment Described.

Such a list will make it possible for
colleges to check up on their own stu
dents and on each other. Mr. Robert.
son describes one interesting expert
ment already tried with such tests
those in modern languages. There is
popular notion that American col.
leges are backward in this department
that either teaching methods are
poor or that the American mind is not
inclined linguistically. In fact, not
many students can speak French or
German ineligible to a Teuton or a
Frenchman after studying the tongues
two or three years in college. Never
theless, the tests show that American
colleges i'm this respect are somewhat
better than Canadian colleges. A test,
to be used as a basis of comparison,
was applied last year. American stu
dents showed considerably faster prog
ress in grasping the languages as
wholes during the freshman and
sophomore years. Canadian students
forged ahead in grammar during the
Junior year, but the spu-i was not suf.
ficient to overtake the Americans dur
ing the last two years.
The fourth objective, which will be
directed by DR.. c. Riborg Mann. di-
rector of the American Council on Edu-
cation, is ms.nly for the benefit of the
students themselves.
Very often, probably in a majority
of case/. the boy goes to college with
out any very clear idea of what he
warts to do after he has been edu-
Gated. He wants a white collar job of
come kind, but he doesn't know what
kind. He can go into business of some
sort. He can be a preacher. a doctor.
lawyer, teacher. But he has very
little means of finding out for what
he is fitted. Often enough he devotes
no real thought to the subject, and
ends up by entering some field in
which he is a misfit and eternally un-
happy. One mans abilities might fit
him for a career which would lead
to the Supreme Court bench. But if
he decides to be a doctor he needs an
entirely different sort of ability, and
may spend his life struggling along
from hand to mouth in country vii.
lage with" spasmodic practice, rem
deiing no real service to himself or the
community.
There are epidemics in vocation
choices. One year sees great numbers
of college graduates rushing to be
DOiio SaICs-ihCi AIlotUcI year Ildy sc
them take up advertising writing.
Probably IN neither case have any
great number Of the youths any par
ticular fitness.
There are books on all the voca-
tions. but they don't give much worth
while information. Some of them are
written by enthusiasts. Some are
mere propaganda to attract recruits.
The committee intends to oversee the
preparation of books which will tell
the truth and which can be made
available to all students. They will
not paint the life of a physician as
one of certain fascination and wealth
They will show the shady as we'll as
the bright side.
Another question which Is likely to
be considered. although II has not
been placed on the program, is that
concerning the public's duty toward
he higher educa ion of the individual
People Pay fer Education.
In every event the maintenance of
IN institution of higher learning Is a
tax on the people, even il the money
has been donated Every student gets
far more than he pays. for. Some.
body must pay. and. hskever round
about the route. the billlcomes even
tually hack to the citizens.
1t is to the interest Of the individual