Changes in Government 1 for next year, including elimination of all but one lecture per week and increase from one to two section meetings weekly, were announced yesterday by A. N. Holcombe '06, professor of Government. This constitutes a move in the direction of having all section men tutors, thus improving the quality of the instruction.
The change is aimed also at improving the calibre of tutors in the department of Government. This will be effected by making it possible to assure more tutors of a teaching position, by which means it will be possible to approach the goal of having all tutors with doctors' degrees. This step has been contemplated by the department for some time and its adoption was materially aided by the Student Council report of last year advocating improved quality of tutorial work.
Commenting on the new system, Professor Holcombe said, "We think this is a move in the right direction and that it will increase the efficiency of our instruction". He stated further that, while the chief argument for lectures was usually economy, it was held that there remained a legitimate field for lectures and that there was no intention of abandoning all lectures in the course. The remaining lecture will be devoted to the application of general principles of government to problems of the day.
Although the new plan cannot be put completely into effect next year, due both to lack of men and the necessary financial advance, it is instituted with the idea in mind of attaining the goal as soon as it is practicable and possible.
Next year among the section men will be two tutors and the head tutors of two houses. This is in line with the trend evidenced in many departments of emphasizing the small section meeting under competent leadership.
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