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THE QUESTION OF EXAMINATIONS.

In another column we print a communication concerning the question of examinations. Among its proposals for raising the standard of undergraduate scholarship the Student Council, in its most recent report, suggests that less emphasis be laid upon final examinations and that greater stress be placed upon frequent hour examinations. The Council maintains that the present system, with its unique emphasis on final examinations, puts a premium on irregular work and results in a vast amount of eleventh-hour "cramming" that makes easy the path of the professional tutor. In our editorial of May, 24, to which the writer of the communication refers, we set forth the suggestions of the Student Council and pointed out that the adoption of their proposals would result in more regular and systematic work and less "cramming" with professional tutors for the all-important examinations. Although the writer of the communication is himself a professional tutor and doubtless is well acquainted with the vagaries of his profession, we believe that the proposals of the Student Council are feasible and, if adopted, would result in a higher and healthier standard of scholarship. There is little doubt that frequent hour examinations which will constitute the most important factor in the determination of grades will result in more regular and systematic work. We do not believe it is unreasonable to suppose that such an innovation will lessen the evils of professional tutoring, for students doing their work in smaller quantities and by degrees would not find it necessary or expedient to resort to the professional tutor in preparing for examinations. What constitutes under the present system a strenuous eleventh-hour "cramming" would become under the proposed scheme a profitable and sane review.

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