1895-]
body before the public. The different newspapers throughout
the State have pursued their usual custom and have exaggerated
a bad thing, making the public believe that the students of this
college are a ' ‘ pack of hoodlums and toughs. ’ ’
Some of the recent practices must be stopped at once. The only
way to protect the members of our student body from stigina in
future is for the students to take such matters in hand.
This cannot be done without organization and The Uance pro
poses to the students the self-government—Honor System, which
has proved to be so successful and satisfactory in many colleges.
We consider ourselves men of honor and ability. Why can-1
we govern ourselves instead of making it necessary for the faculty
to treat us like children ?
An earnest attempt by the students to adopt the self-government
honor system would undoubtedly meet with the hearty approval
of the faculty.
Nearly all of our leading colleges have adopted this system, and
with one or two exceptions the scheme has proved satisfactory to
students and faculty. With the honor system in examination every
man has an equal chance to display his worth. Unreasonable ex
aminations cannot be given in this case, for if more than a certain
per cent, of students fail in a subject it is obvious that the examina
tion was not a fair one and another cannot be refused.
Cornell has found the self-government honor system extremely
satisfactory. The students elect a ‘‘University Court.” This is
composed of one Freshman, two Sophomores, three Juniors and
four Seniors, and several of the faculty. If any student proves
to be dishonorable his class takes the matter up and brings it to
the ‘‘University Court.” It takes a two-thirds vote to convict an
accused, and upon conviction the court gives the culprit the
option of leaving college quietly or of an appeal to the faculty.
Cornell has adopted another very good scheme. Any student
who makes a specified grade in his studies is exempt from ex
aminations, but everyone is recommended to take examinations.
The modern professor does not claim that examinations are for
the purpose of ascertaining the amount of knowledge one pos
sesses, for in the majority of cases he already is aware of that;
but he claims, and there is a vast amount of truth in the state
ment, that examinations are good, in that they give a student
practice in stating clearly in a limited space of time his knowledge
Editorial.