Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-23
College Course Set
AS a 40-Hour Week

philosophy. Each Of the six fac
ulty members will be q specialist
In one Of these fields.
The elective course will be In
one Of the six subjects named
above. under the faculty specialist.
The student will register for O
half q year in the elective course.
After advice and counseling, he
may continue in that course, or
switch to another Of the six sub
jects.
Says DR.. johnson:
Instead Of stressing the subject
matter In these courses, we are
going to ask: How do you know
We're going to see how q scientist
works. how mathematician
works, how q writer writes.
"It's going to be pretty close to
q course In logic.
Background in Question
I'VE don't know yet whether the
students will get enough solid
backgrounding in science, mathe-
mates. etc.. with this approach.
TITS going to be pretty close to
find out.
Our big hope is that the extra
hours Of work, and the intensity
Of study. may make the difference.
We want our students to catch on
fire. If they do, they'll learn
great deal about every subject"
Along with this heavy course Of
study, the experimental college
will insist upon high standards Of
reading. writing, speaking and
listening. Special instructors will
be available for weaker students.
All this may come as a rude
shock to many a freshman. par
ticularly If he has been able to
loaf through high school.
In most colleges, say Hofstra Of
ficials, intensive study doesn't
really begin until the junior or
senior year, land yet this might
be the most important single thing
that makes the first year Of coll
lege distinct from high school"
1t may well be that this rough
and tough schedule may reduce
the heavy rate of drop-outs.
Each year." said the Hofstra
study committee. there is q great
intellectual waste because Of the
large number of students who
drop out Of college.
The Drop Out Period
"a recent study found that the
first year Of college is the most
critical drop-out period. This
study found that 273 per 1000 left
school in the first year, in COM
parison with 283 per 1000 during
the next three years after a
student has passed the first-year
hurdle, his chances of getting a
degree brighten considerably"
The Hofstra idea is to help the
student clear that first year
hurdle.
An important part of the Hof-
stra plan is a close relationship
between students and faculty. Be-
cause of the small size of the stu
dent body, and the limited num-
Der of courses, each instructor will
get to know several students well,
and each student will get to know
some instructor well.
At the beginning of the school
year, each student will be assigned
to one of the faculty members on
the basis of interest and tempera-
ment. The faculty member will
serve as an adviser and counselor
throughout the year.
The experimental college will
have no planned program of out
side activities. However, students
will be encouraged to start for
themselves such things as a club,
student newspaper, debating so.
ciety or chorus. They will also be
encouraged to attend athletic
events, concerts and plays on the
main campus.
Present plans call for a modest
intramural sports program, with
facilities for such "carry-over"
sports as golf and archery which
the student may continue in later
life.
The impending flood Of college
students is posing horrendous
new problems to college admins
traitors. At Hofstra, they're trying
to find the answers before the
flood strikes.