PAGE FOUR Editorial Opinion Final Examinations-- A Measure of Knowledge Are final examinations a fair indication of a student's knowledge, and are they worth the time and last minute effort put into them? These questions arc continually being pondered by educators throughout the country. However, of late, the issue has hit the nation's college newspapers mainly through the efforts of an Indiana Daily Student editorial campaign, At Penn State, as at most of the other colleges and Universities, ii would take a radical change in the educa tional policy to eliminate final exams. This change is not evident at present, but it still warrants consideration. In order for a student to get the most benefit from finals, he should carefully review the entire course ma terial considering practical application wherever possible. In addition, he should consult related material to get a better working knowledge of the course content. But how many do this? Most students end up cram ming into their heads last minute facts which they will lose in a short time. In other words they are working for a grade and not for knowledge. In some courses, students are justified in saying that it is no use to study for examinations. These are the true false and multiple choice—or more aptly, multiple guess exams—which frequently include ambiguous questions. Many students count on a skimpy knowledge of the course and a lucky day to pass such exams. It seems that essay examinations would be the solu tion to the problem, except in very technical courses. This type certainly would make students study more thorough ly and consider the course in a broader aspect. But complete elimination of final examinations in favor of term projects and papers would be much better. One plan could be to assign these projects to be completed by the end of classes ,thus eliminating the two weeks of final exams. Another system could turn over the finals period to free time to complete the tern projects. A trend is now appearing to assign more term projects and we hope it continues with the end result of elimina tion of final examinations altogether. A , Student-Operated Newspaper 55 Years of Editorial Freedom 01It ?WI! Tollegiatt Successo? to The Published Tuesday through Saturday morning during the University year. The Daily Collegian Is • student-operated newspaper. Entered as second-class matter July 8. 1034 at the State College, Pa. Post Office under the act of March 3, 1879. Mail Subscription Price: $3.00 per semester $5.00 per year. DENNIS MALICK *MI°. Editor Member of The Associated Press and The Intercollegiate Press Managing - Editor. William Jaffe; Assistant Editor . Catherine , Fleek; Patine Relations Direetor, Lalli Neubarth: Copy Editor, Roberta Levine; Sports Editor, Sandy PattwerAssistant Sports Editor, John Blatt: Photography Editor Martin &herr: Member. Zandy Slosson. Local Ad Mgr., William Hess; Ass't Local Ad Mgr.. Chester Lucilot Credit Mgr., Murray Simon: National Ad Mgr.. Nancy Froebel: Classified Ad Mgr., Sara Brown: Co-Circulation Mgrs.. Loretta Mink, Richard Ritzinger; Promotion Mgr., Darlene Anderson; Special Page Mgr.. Alice Mahachek: Personnel Mar.. Dorothy Smeal: Office Secretary, Bonnie Bailey Meyer: Research and Records, Margaret Dimperin. STAFF THIS ISSUE: Night Editor, Polly Dranov; Copy Editor, Cordie Lewis; Wire Editor, Elaine Miele; Assistants, Phyllis Pack, Lynne Bordonaro, Larreen Doorley, Karen Miller, Dean Billick, Jack Karl. GOOD FOR \W e i:NOG...AIi 'Ai NAVE TO NO IS LEAN A UTILE TO ONE SPE.... I 4 Free Lance, est. 1887 GEORGE McTURK Business Manager I WANT TO BE ALL LOVE! SEE. NOW 711 E LOVE WILL A CHANCE. TO SPiit. GET .VER TNE HATE! 60) 6W! 5-cgrtz., THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA t• . Freshman Hits Lack of Aid To Education TO THE EDITOR: President Ei senhower's State of the Union Message before Congress clearly indicates a shortcoming in the government's attitude towards ed ucation. In his address the President stated that the government does not plan any school support pro grams. He emphasized that the responsibility of solving the school problem rests with the local gov ernments. The educating of an individual from the first to the 12th grades is one of the most important in fluences in his formal education. Without a good sound basis not only in science and - mathematics, but also English and history, one planning a college education is definitely handicapped. We cannot deny also, that 'a solid elementary and secondary education is an as set even to those who do not go on to college. With this importance of educa cation in mind, we must realize that the lack of proper facilities or a sufficient number of teachers tending to lessen the quality of teaching methods is indeed a se rious problem. The problem can not be solved by avoiding it. We must be able to look into the fUture. Though school systems are op erated locally and overcrowding may not be as serious in some areas as in others, within a few years, • however, the localism of the situation will develop into a national problem. School build` ings cannot be erected overnight. Obviously the federal govern ment is blind to this. If the local communities do not start to elimi nate the problem the national government should take the ini tiative. If the national govern ment is not able to finance a fed eralized school system at least it should supply an incentive for the local governments to do some thing. Such a solution might be that the federal government donate a dollar for each dollar the local communities give for the school system. Whatever the solution is, it requires the participation of the national government and it must be started in the very near future. •Letter cut Gazette TODAY Farm Youth Alumni, 9 p.m., 211 HUD Grad Student Association Square Dance, 8:30 p.m.. Hillel Foundation Lecture, Dr. J. Coert Rylaaradam, 8 :30 p.m., Chapel TOMORROW AIM, 7 p.m., 203 HUB Chapel Service, J0:55 a.m., Schwab Chess Club. 2 p.m.. HUB cardrootn Circa Literary Staff, 7 208 Bourke Concert,. University Symphony Orchestra, 3 p.m. Schwab Grad Student Bridge, 7 p.m., 212 HUB Jr. Class Advisory Board, 7 p.m., 214 HUB Lutheran Student • Association, 6:30 p.m., Lutheran Student Center. 412 W. Col lege Ave. Mt. Nittany Philateko Club, 2 p.m., 218 HUB Newman Club, 7 p.m.. 217 HUB Protestant Service. 9 a.m. Chapel Penn State Bible Fellowship, 2 p.m., 214 HUB Roman Catholic Mass, 9 a.m., Schwab Rufus Jones Lecture, 8 p.m., 121 Sparks SGA Committee on . Conter Integration, 5 p.m.. 217 HUB Spring Week Committee, 6:30 p.m., 218 H Swedenborgian Service, 10:30 a.m., 212 HUB USF.. 9:30' a.m., 218 HUB MONDAY APhiO, 7 p.m.. and S p.m.. 212 DUB BX, All Boards, 5 p.m., 212 HUB Christian Fellowship, 12:45 p.m., and 7 - p.m.. 218 HUB - Engineering Mechanics Seminar, 4:15 p.m., 203 Engineering Faculty Luncheon Club, noon, HUB dining room "A" - John R. Feick Lecture, 7:30 p.m., Mineral Sciences auditorium Rural Soc Seminar. 3:15 p.m., 214 HUB —Earl La Kier '63 Little Man on Campus by Dick Sibiu Pit‘ '.' L .......,./........ +. • ' •; 6 1/4'.• I NM' CON'TRAZY I THINK HE'S AWONOERFLIL LECTURER--- , TH6 cA 16 TH'ortY ,A 56 WHERE I CAN 66T ANY Mccistr 51.EEP:1' Letters Some Like Signs... Some Don't TO THE EDITOR: I agree with Robert Braziloski's article in Thursday's Collegian that "University officials are un duly criticized for the erec tion of the signs around the campus." It seems to me that every time the administration takes some action around here the students have to make wise cracks about it. For instance, I thought the article "OK, Let's Play with Signs" was abso lutely ridiculous. After all, the purpose of the signs is merely to direct people to the right buildings and not to make Penn State a resort spot. In my opinion, the signs are a very much-needed addition to the campus. As a graduate TO THE EDITOR: Mr. Malick's attempt at satirizing the ridicu lousness of the campus bill boards falls far short of its goal. Instead of showing the com mercial and gaudy effects of these signs, the article insults the students' intelligence. We wonder how the mind of a newspaper editor can run in such simple channels. Perhaps a better approach to the problem is to eliminate the silliness and discuss the im practicality of the "eyesores." The signs ruin the beauty of the campus and maps are easily. accessible. Furthermore, the primary TO THE EDITOR: Another Penn State first! The new view —We would like to thank the person responsible for beauti fying campus with blue and white billboards which har monize so well with the park like surroundings. Penn State is one of the most secnic campuses , in the country. Nov we have signs to tell us so. No other single feature Collegian 'Supporters' Go Sarcastic TO THE EDITOR: We are get ting sick and tired of constant ly hearing about the traffic parking situation and the ad ministration's WAR with the Nittany boys. New blood should be injected into the Collegian, such as dealing with the physi- WDFM Program Schedule .SATURDAY 6:55 Weathergeope 'I:00 Hi•Fi Open Rouse 9:00 Offbeat 1:00 Sign Ott SUNDAY 6:55 Weatheraeope 1:00 The Third Programme 11:30 The Week In Review 11:441 Siga SATURDAY. JANUARY 16, 1960 111 . ~~~ ~'~ ~~r 1 w.3c ro • 4 t student I arrived on campus for the first time in September and was never so lost -in my life. Upon asking one of the stu dents• where I could find Grad uate Hall, I got this reply: "I never heard of it." Apparently even the students don't know where the buildings are. How are visitors supposed to find them? I noticed that they are dig ging deep holes for the signs. Maybe they should also cement them in so that some of the more "mature" students can't dig them up and transplant them in front of some other buildings. —Barbara Bergstresser Graduate Student purpose of Penn State is to educate the students and not to sponsor sightseeing tours through the University. We can appreciate sarcasm— if it is written on the college level. —David MacLellan, Donald Macelady, Dennis Grubb, all of '63 (Editor's note: We agree wholeheartedly on your points concerning • the impracticality of these signs, that they ruin campus beauty and that our purpose is to educate: dentally, Collegian carried an editorial in Tuesday's paper stating these very ideas.) could have improved Univer sity Park so much with so lit tle, with the exception of neon signs to guide visitors to our campus landmarks. What next? Commercial ad vertisements along Pollock Rd..? —William Stephens, Chris topher Dobbie, Daniel MacMeekin, all of '62 cal fitness of the campus popu lation. We think we have a solution to this mess. Abolish entirely any, driving on campus except to students , over 80 accom panied by their parents and burn Nittany to the ground! --Stanley Lipkin,-133 Edward Oswalt. '62' D _ MONAY 6;66 Weatberseope 7':00 Mitaterworks From France . 7:30 Chilaren'e Corner 7:ss;News _ 8 :00 Contemporary Coneenti!' 9 :00 ---.Music of the People 9:50 Campus and Religion 9:45 News and -Spoils 10 :00 Symphonic - Notebook , rv , -,..., Tf x --.), ~,k,.. 0f,„:...:.:: 4.......
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers