Yale's adoption of a general examination system, announced last Sunday to the general press, represents the culmination of several years of investigation which has been carried on by the Eli President and Deans. The new set-up in New Haven is very similar in principle to Harvard's general examination system, and, in fact, Yale officials made a thorough examination of the system before launching their plans.

Yale's general examinations will differ in detail and application from Harvard's, however. There will be no oral exams, no special exams within a general field.

History of Generals

The history of general examinations in the United States is an interesting one. Various small colleges adopted very modified generals in the second half of the 19th century. Harvard was the first college to install any large or comprehensive system, which it did in 1873. At that time, old catalogues show, all undergraduates in the College were subject to a general test of the knowledge they had gathered during their four years of study.

More recently the idea has spread throughout the United States. President Hutchins of Chicago University put such a system recently which differs in detail only from Harvard's.

Important Change

Yale's recent action was hailed the university's "most important educational change in many years." President Angell remarked that the new system "is designed to encourage a genuine mastery of some one field of work, to stimulate a systematic thinking, and to challenge intellectual independence -- the student must under this system integrate effectively a considerable portion of his final two years of college work. The educational advantages of this method over those at present in use are quite unequivocal."

Yale's new system will begin with the Class of 1937 in the College and with certain students in the Engineering School and the Sheffield Scientific School. Previously to get the A.B. degree, students had only to amass a certain number of course credits. To this numerical requirement will be added the general examination.

The following regulations, entitled "Departmental Majors and Examinations--Class of 1937 and Subsequent Classes," were printed in this year's catalogue:

Yale's Rule

"Every student is required to frame his schedule of courses in his major subject in consultation with the department concerned. He must present to the class officer evidence that he has satisfactorily fulfilled this preliminary requirement before he submits his complete schedule of work for final approval. He should acquaint himself fully with all requirements of the department of his major study, with regard not merely to his immediate choices of Junior courses, but to the plan of his entire work in preparation for the departmental examinations at the close of his Senior year. These departmental examinations, required of every student, will test his proficiency in his major subject as a whole."

Honors

Honors at Yale are handled under a completely separate system described by the University as follows:

"Honors are awarded on the basis of examination at the end of Senior year. An essential feature of the examination in all departments is a paper set by the department concerned, general in the sense that it is taken by all candidates of that year, and comprehensive in the sense that it covers the entire field of honors study. This examination is usually attended by special examinations more limited in scope and is sometimes preceded by a preliminary examination (general but not necessarily comprehensive) at the end of Junior year. When the result of the written honors examination is in doubt, it may be followed and supplemented by an oral examination."