Further, since the success of English A finally depends on the caliber of the section men in the course, we recommend careful consideration of Resolution 1 of Part 1 of last year's Freshman report in regard to the selection of these men. The resolution reads" "That section men be chosen with an eye towards teaching ability and personality rather than their scholastic records."
2. A system of sections for all men has been a part of the course organization of English 1 and English 2. However, these sections include men of such varying ability that it is impossible for the section men to direct the discussion to specific problems of any one group. In the effort to include material that will be of some benefit to everyone the sections have become either a rehash of lectures, as in English 2, or vague attempts to clarify the reading to suit everyone's needs. This procedure, necessitated by the wide distribution of marks of the men, defeats the purpose of the sections, and, as a consequence, the stu- students disregard them.
We therefore recommend that in both English 1 and English 2 conferences be organized after November hours separating the A and B men from the C, D, and E men. These sections and conference groups, modeled after those of History 1, could then deal more fully and expertly with the problems of high and low grade men. While in the "C" sections the primary object would be to insure that the basic course material is covered adequately, the conference groups would discus the assigned work only to clear up the difficulties in the reading and would then study further the works and the life of the author under consideration.
This system of sections and conference groups would make instruction easier for the section man, and would create interest among those students who are now forced to listen to explanations of material that they have mastered. Also the lower grade man could be given fuller instruction in the basic material which he was not grasped, not being exposed to the extraneous discussion of men of conference rank.
3. Being shrouded with political discussions and presenting easy grammar works, the class meetings of French C (French 1) have been discounted by most students, who feel they can learn as much actual French without class attendance. This is unfortunate because French C embraces the material of the language that can be both instructive and interesting.
We therefor recommend that the present arrangement of one meeting a week for attention to grammar and two meetings for reading the maintained, but that the grammar which is presented be more advanced so that there will be instructive value to the grammar lessons. To insure the proper concentration on the part of the students, we further recommend that grammar tests be given in French C every other week in the same manner that the occasional reading examinations are now presented.
4. Of all the courses that would benefit by the introduction of the Conference System, Philosophy A and Philosophy B are the most conspicuous examples. Here a majority of the students complained that the sections were monopolized by a few superior men; that the section men could not cover all the basic material and still give the interpretation necessary in a philosophy course and finally, that the important coordination of lecture and reading material was not accomplished in the sections. In both those course the lectures and reading supplement each other; they are not identical. It therefore becomes the task of the section man to supply this coordination, and yet discuss the implications of all the course material. This is not possible with men of varying abilities, and especially when each student is himself usually concerned with one particular problem in the work. The solution to this difficulty lies in reducing the size of all Philosophy A and B reducing the size of all Philosophy A and B sections, and in providing at the same time for separation of the average man from the advance one.
We therefor strongly recommend the introduction of the conference system in the organization of Philosophy A and Philosophy B, along the lines established by History I. Such a step will give meaning to the course for the C and D students and insure the A and B men of an adequate superstructure upon the basic framework of Philosophy.
B. The Science
5. Last Year's report showed conclusively that in all Freshman Chemistry courses a wide difference exists between the laboratory time given in the catalogue of courses and time actually necessary for careful work. We found no improvement anywhere in this respect, and feel that this is a difficulty, which should be adjusted. Therefore, we repeat the table of discrepancies, using the figures secured in our more recent study: