Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-28
c. v. REORGAN|zES
EDUCATIONAL PLAN
New System Provides for
Developing Ability of
Individual.

The complete educational reorganiza-
ton of George Washington University
is announced in bulletins setting forth
the university plan,' which have been
issued to all alumni and to colleges
and universities throughout the country.
While not entirely new in its indi-
yidual principles" the university an
nouncement said, "the George wash
ington University plan is a distinct
educational advance in the association
of these principles in a comprehensive
scheme. 1t restores the community
spirit Of earlier faculties, which has
been largely destroyed in American in
situations of higher learning through
the interposition of elaborate admins
trative machinery.
by divorcing the educational from
the administrative functions of the uni
versity and placing the control of
courses of study in the hands of the
faculty, it re-establishes educational
democracy. The plan further accom-
plishes a return to the 'master-fellow'
relationship between teacher and stu
dent, which Vitalizes teaching and
which. with the advent of mass educa-
ton. has been largely lost sight of. 1t
provides for the discovery and devel-
opment of creative ability in the indi-
vidual student"
Five Measures Adopted.
In efTecting the program, the uni
verSity announced, five measures have
been adopted by the faculties, as fol-
lows:
The establishment of a Junior COL
lege to care for the first two college
years, underlying the senior college and
all of the professional schools.
The reorganization of Columbian Col
lege the College of Letters and Sci
ences of the George Washington Uni
versity, as a senior college. embracing
the junior year the senior year and
one year of graduate study, leading to
the baccalaureate and the masters de-
gree.
The creation within the senior college
of divisions of study, under which the
curriculum departments are grouped in
accordance with their content affinity,
thus establishing the cooperation of
faculty members in related studies,
placing educational control in the
hands of the faculty and bringing the
student in contact with fields of learn
ing rather than with isolated courses.
Adoption of an individual study plan
which permits a closer and more per-
sonal relationship between instructors
and students, who are qualified to profit
by exemption from formal class require
ments.
Organization of a council for gradu-
ate study based entirely upon the
master fellow relationship between
professor and student, which conceives
the work for the Phi. D. purely as pro-
fesSional research training, separate
and distinct from that for the masters
degree. The masters degree is trans
ferred to the senior college.
Divisional Move Heads List.
"The most significant and far-reach-
ing" single measure adopted was said by
the university to be the divisional or
ganization, which places the faculty in
control of instruction and interprets the
office of dean as that of a student per-
sonnet officer. Freed from adminlstra-
tive structures" the announcement said,
land placed in sympathetic relationship
to colleagues in related fields. the
faculty member is encouraged to do
stronger and more creative work. The
student profits by being brought into
contact with related fields rather than
with isolated courses"
Four divisions of study have been
created under the new plan, language
and literatures, mathematics and the
physical sciences the natural sciences
and the social sciences.
further extension of the divisional
organization is the organization of
graduate council, or guild of scholars.
responsible for the direction of graduate
students in research. THE principles
underlying the new program" said the
university announcement, particularly
the intimate 'master-fellow' relationship
between teacher and student, are ap-
plicable in a special sense to the field
of research and will be consistently fol-
lowed in graduate work leading to the
degree of doctor of philosophy"
Marvin Explains Purpose.
Announcing the new organization, DR..
Cloyd Heck Marvin, president of the
university, said THE plan will succeed
only in so far as the Institutional staff
remembers that. the teachers province
is SO to order the university environ
ment that the student will be inspired
to train himself, to be enthusiastic in
the use of his mind and to be fearless
in the pursuit of knowledge.
1.-THE freedom and companionship
gained under the new plan provide OPP
portunity for the stimulation of scholar
ly personality through the impact of
character" he said :