I believe that all students should take the general examinations, but should be allowed 'o omit tutorial work, if they wish. I don't believe there should be a sharp division between honors students, who would be required to have tutorial week, and others, who would not have the privilege of working under tutors if they desired. Tutorial work should be open to all, but should be optional.
In a foreign literature, especially with students who do not read the language rapidly, it seems more profitable to have a student spend his time reading authors rather than in writing reports.
I should like to see the following changes:
1. Optional tutorial work.
I believe that the tutorial board should be more or less permanent, not varied be more or less permanent, not varied from year to year, as it is at present.
Also, there should be some disciplinary measures possible. I am a firm believer in the value of the general examinations for all men, whether candidates for Honors or not, and the tutorial system seems.
I am satisfied with the present arrangement. It is more just to find fault with the individual tutors, who are largely left to their own resources, rather than with the general plan.
In regard to question 11, I doubt that many students would take advantage of such an arrangement or would seriously benefit from it. Those who are not benefited by tutorial work are often not benefited by class instruction.
Question 9 startles me as I supposed the whole point of the tutorial system was to emphasize a subject rather than to rehash course work to cram for exams or to gossip.
I have only one practical objection to the honors vs. Pass-degree scheme. Some of my best honor men have not found the subject until the Sophomore year and have not awakened to recognition of their own power till their Junior year. Dare we risk losing such men even though to find them, we must drag along the intellectually uncurious? I should prefer to tutor every man as intensively as he desires, and then have no regrets over those who fail the divisional examinations. (But of course if the tutoring system is merely a substitute for the widow, I have the wrong slant on everything.)
1. No drastic changes, pleas.
2. Divided among the three.
3. Four and a half.
4. Four.
5. This question is of academic interest only, to those of us who teach full time.
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