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Thursday, December 3, 1964
The Daily Nebraskan
College Grading Hurts Teaching
Page 3
Editor's Note: The follow
ing address was delivered
before the 19th National
Conference on Higher Ed
ucation in Chicago in April
by its author, Paul Good
man. Permission to repro
duce the article was given
to the Daily Nebraskan by
the Association for Higher
Education.
By Paul Goodman
The retaining of grading in
the colleges is an interesting
case of bureaucratic inertia
and subservience to the so
cial climate. Almost a consen
sus of teachers say that grad
ing hurts teaching and learn
ing and the spirit of the com
munity but is inevitable, ap
parently because of extra
mural pressures. Yet the col
leges are fairly autonomous
and could do what they want
in such a respect, and indeed
some colleges do not have
grading without disastrous re
sults. It is said, "Without grading,
how will corporations, gradu
ate schools, foundations, etc.,
know whom to select?" By
admissions testing, just as the
student was first admitted to
the college. Why should the
college test and grade for
these extramural persons?
Furthermore, each employ
er or graduate department
has its own specific require
ments for which it can test
far more efficiently than it
can rely on c o 1 1 e g e grades,
often outdated. In fact, civil
service, accounting, medicine,
etc., do test specifically for
licensing, apart from college
grades.
It is absurd when the dean
of a leading university praises
the high predictive value of
the aptitude-and-achievement
tests for entrance and then
condones the unnecessary
grading system in the school
itself.
Need Clear Exam
We need a clear and distinct
idea of examining. We proper
ly examine a candidate to see
if he is acceptable into an en
terprise or community. Once
he is in, why distinguish one
from another in the class, like
first-and second-class citi
zens? If a student is not per
forming, it is more courage
ous and sensible to fire him
out of the class, rather than
to downgrade him.
An Analysis
A second proper kind of ex
amination Is to see if the
youth has now grown up to be
a peer. In medieval times, he
proved his entry into the guild
by a masterpiece academi
cally, a lecture and disputa
tion. The point of this, how
ever, is to do something that
wins respect not to pass
somebody else's questions,
which would maintain h i m
precisely in his conditions of
inferiority and immaturity.
Perhaps the chief objectors
to the abolition of grading
would be parents and the stu
dents themselves. The parents
would object because of their
anxiety and insecure compet
itiveness, but these attitudes
have already done too much
damage to their children and
should be rebuffed. The stu
dents would feel at a loss and
unstructured, because they
have been used to nothing
else.
But it is the duty of the col
lege to make them grow up in
this, as in other respects, to
oecome seit-reliant, self-initiating.
With the grading and
the tutelage on sexual and
other moral matters, how do
we expect the young to be sud
denly independent and make
important choices at twenty,
one? '
Hurts Testing
In my opinion, the worst
defect of grading is the use
of testing. The nedocoeic use
of a test is to help the stu-
aeni structure what he knows
and discover what lie doesn't
know. It is contradictory to
punish him, by downgrading,
ior revealing his Ignorance,
rather than encouraging him
to place himself at the level
w here he really is.
Inevitably grading invites
Testing is a good diagnostic
tor tne teacher, both of the
student and of the teaching.
But what does a grade mean?
If out of five questions in
algebra, the student misses
two, what does sixty percent
mean? It is, rather, particu
larly logarithms and permuta
tions mat the student doesn't
know, not forty percent of the
subject.
Consider the important case
of science teaching. Accord
ing to the colleagues of Jer
ome S. Bruner (professor of
psychology at Harvard Uni
versity, in The Process of Ed
ucation, the young creative
scientist must be taught not
facts but the basic ideas and
methods; and he should be en
couraged to guess and make
wild hypotheses.
The Process explicitly
warns against grading. For
the average youngster who
will not become a scientist, it
is the humanistic and moral
value of science, and the
meaning of science altogeth
er, that are important. For in
stance, it is most instructive
if the student spend the whole
term checking up why his
chemistry experiment did not
work his carelessness, dirty
test tube, etc., this is more
profitable than repeating the
table of the elements or mem
orizing formulas. Is this real
ly gradable?
The middle type techni
cians and lab assistants
could be tested by their future
employers, as suggested
above, (incidentally, 1 fail to
see why the corporations
should benefit by so much ao
prentice training at the pub
lic and parents' expense.)
Laiy Students
Many students are lazy and
do not do the work, and it is
said that grading is a neces
sary extrinsic spur. By a n d
large, laziness is a character
neurosis; e.g., it may be a
way of avoiding failing, or it
may be a way of proving one
is superior and does not need
to (won't) learn anything
more- In such cases it is cer
tainly unwise to repeat the
traumatic demand which
caused the neurotic pattern in
the beginning.
Most often, however, not do
ing the work means exactly
what it says: that the work
does not really suit either
not that subject, or not at that
time, or maybe not in a school
setting at all at that time.
Then the terrible thing is that
the bright student, threatened
by failure, will cram and pass
and at once forget what he
has learned; he has given up
his own instinctive demand
and wasted the teacher's
time.
In an atmosphere of ungrad
ed testing, he might discover
what he really wants to do.
Conversely, some students
who fail and are flunked out
are really fit for the subject
but have not quite found them
selves. The teacher might
guess this, but the computer
is Inexorable.
Lastly, the competitive
grading, the credits, the lock
step scheduling, and speed-up
are all part of the cash ac
counting and logistic mental
ity that is exactly what we
do not need in the automated
future, when most of the seri
ous work in life will, or
should, be concerned with
community culture, citizenly
initiative, worthwhile leisure.
and social service. These are
not gradable and cannot be
subdivided into credits.
Overcrowded Schools
Needless to say. the present
emphasis and reliance on
grading is partly a conse
quence of the incredible over
crowding of the schools by
many who are not aca
demically talented at all. But
this should be faced as a sep
arate problem, and it would
be salutary indeed if the As
sociation for Higher Educa
tion would resolve somewhat
as follows: Very many young
people including many who
are bright ought to be ed
ucated in ways other than un
der academic administration
in high schools and colleges.
To subject them to long
schooling is a misuse of their
time of life, or society's mon
ey, and of the efforts of teach
ers. Therefore, we urge so
ciety and government to find
out and provide numerous
other ways to solve some of
the present problems of tech
nical training and unemploy
ment, rather than putting
a disproportionate burden on
the schools.
Further, almost all youth
need experiences other than
twelve to twenty years of un
interrupted school lessons to
grow up and find themselves;
and many people profit by
schooling when they are more
mature. Therefore, let us, as
school people, devise and pro
vide more flexible and open
opportunities for quitting and
returning to the academic life
than the present system al
lows.
Special Baby Pigs' Diet Includes
Dried Bakery Scraps For Protein
the savings of thousands of
dollars for Nebraska farmers,
and a more plentiful supply
of milk for our babies, who
just can't chew those dried
rolls.
Baby pigs, as well as hu
man babies, love milk. The
ration, or "formula," that a
baby pig is started on usually
contains about 30 per cent
skim milk, of quality accept
able for human consumption.
This milk, because of quality
and human consumer demand
costs about 18 cents a pound.
Dr. E. R. Peo, Jr., of the
University animal science de
partment, has found that
dried bakery scraps consist
of left-over rolls, bread,
doughnuts with no holes in
the middle and straight twists.
The tests Peo has run have
shown that the pigs gain just
as well on the DBS (dried
bakery scraps) as on the milk.
The protein content is of the
same quality and the cost
using DBS is just three cents
a pound.
More important, a product
(DBS) which is normally
wasted is being used and a
human consumption food
(milk) is released for human
consumption.
When research is completed,
and the data relayed to the
public, the result could be
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PLACEMENT I
INTERVIEWS j
Munclay, Dec. 1
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, re
ceiving degrees In Bnc-helor's-Bus. Mm.,
Lib. Arts.
Federal Reserve Bank, receiving de
grees In Bachelor's-Researeh and Statis
tical. Bnak Examiners. Personnel, Sys
tems and Procedures.
Pratt Ji Whitney Aircraft, receiving de
grees In All degree levels Ch.E.. E.E.,
M.E., Met.E., E.M., Engrg. Physics, En
grs. Sel.. Met.. Physics and C h e m.
tlnorg., Analyt., Physs.)
Tuesday. Dec. 8
I'nion Electric Oompanny. receiving de
grees In B.S.-E.E., M.E., Accts.i B.S.,
Parke, Davis 1 Company, receiving de-j He also published tWO Well-
Biol., Arete.. Techn. Writers, Mirrobml.,
Ract., Zoo).. On. Bus., lnd. Mgrnt.,
Pharm.
Teacher's Group
Holds Convention
Mu Epsilon Nu, national
honorary and professional
teaching fraternity, will hold
its first annual national con
vention at 3 p.m. Sunday in
the Student Union at Kearney
State College, the headquar
ters of Beta Chapter.
Active members will vote on
a constitution and will elect
national officers. The local
chapters will read progress
reports on the nationalization
of the group.
Alpha Chapter of Mu Epsi
lon Nu was founded in 1958 at
the University, and last year
Beta Chapter was founded at
Kearney State College.
Mu Epsilon Nu has plans
for expansion at Wayne State
University and the University
of California at Sacramento.
Literature Expert
To Lecture Here
Dr. Richard Ellmann, au
thor and scholar in the field of
modern British and Irish liter
ature, will be on campus Mon
day, and Tuesday to talk with
faculty members and students
in the department of English.
Ellcann, formerly of Har
vard and now professor of
English at Northwestern Uni
versity, won a National Book
Award in 1960 for his bio
graphy of James Joyce (1959)
Wednesday, Dec. 9
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS
FROM TH KLL- HE GET MAP AS HECK WHEN HESSUPtW AHftKENER
A woman could
feel him across
a room.
VGUf'GDLQOD
:
All ht blittr-hat of tht bttt-MllIng novtl that tcorchtd tht Jti Sot!
m FRANCISCUS-SUZANNE PlfSHEITE-GENEVIEVE PAGE
II. S. MavaJ Oi-dmtnre Labroatnry White
Oak. Silver Sprint, Md. receivins riegreet
in All dcrees-E.E., MR, A.E.. Physics.
Wilson li Company, lncorpoi ated Oma
ha, recevhnji degrees in B.S., M.S.
Ak.Ec., Ui.-Bus., An. Hush.. Bus. Mm.,
Lib. Arts.
Mason I- Hanger Silas Mason Com
pany, Incorporated, receiving degrees In
B.S.. M.S.-C.E., E.E.. I.E.. M.E., Ch.E.
Monday, Dec. 14
Wasmntn Kodak Company, receiving de
grees In H.S., M.S. EE., (Ih.E., I.E.,
rhymes, Chem.
Dillon Carhlde Corporation Plastics
Dlvallon, receiving degrees ill B.S., M.S.
Ch.E., M.K., Clime.
NEBRASKA PUBLIC POWF31 SYSTEM
In the prix-em of scheduling a recruiting
date sometime In Decemhur.
known studies of Yates: Yates
the Man and the Mask (1948)
and The Identity of Yates
(1954). His articles and re
views have appeared in many
of the 1 e a d i n g journals of
criticism and opinion in this
country.
Ellmann will deliver a pub
lic lecture, "The Indignation
of Yeats," on Tuesday at
10:30 a.m. in Love Library
auditorium. At 2:30 in An
drews 115 he will discuss
problems and opportunities
in the field of literary research.
ft - : o ii
DAVE CLARK FIVE
Adm. $3.00
Tickets on tale Pershing
Auditorium 1 Nebr. Union
Pending Auditorium B:00 P.M.
Friday Dec. 4th One Shew Only
TODAY
SYMPOSIUM on Motivation,
9 a.m., Student Union auditorium.
U.C.C.F., 11:30 a.m.. 240
Student Union.
GRADUATE STUDENTS in
Psychology, 12 a.m., Pan
American Room, Student
Union.
PLACEMENT OFFICE
Luncheon, 12:30 p.m., 241 Stu
dent Union.
STUDENT SANE-Organi-zational
Meeting, 3 p.m., 233
Student Union.
A.W.S., Court, 4:30 p.m.,
South Conference room, Stu
dent Union.
BUILDERS, Publicity, 4:30
p.m., 232 Student Union.
HOME EC CLUB tree dec
orating party and election of
officers, 4:30 p.m., Home Ec
onomics Lounge.
PEOPLE TO PEOPLE, So
cial Committee, 4:30 p.m., 240
Student Union.
PEOPLE TO PEOPLE Pub
licity Committee, 4:30 p.m.,
241 Student Union.
UNION Music Committer
4:30 p.m., West Cafeteria, Stu
dent union.
I N T E R-VARSITY Execu
tive, 6:30 p.m., 235 Student
Union.
A. U. F., 6:30 p.m., 334
Student Union.
UNION Christmas Decorat
ing Party, 6:30 p.m., Student
Union Program Office.
STUDENT COUNCIL Quiz
Bowl, 7 p.m., Student Union
auditorium.
JUNIOR PANHELLENIC, 7
p.m., Student Union Confer
ence. NANCY CHILD Charm
Course, 7 p.m., Student Union
Ballroom.
ALPHA PHI OMEGA, 7
p.m., 332 Student Union.
DENTAL SCHOOL, 7 p.m.,
Pawnee Room, Student
Union.
MATH COUNSELOR Pro
gram. 7:30 p.m., 349 Student
Union.
AMERICAN CHEMICAL So
ciety, 7:30 p.m., 240 Student
Union.
New 'Crusher' Dance
Hits Minnesota Campus
Former Grad Named
Public Health Director
A Native of Neligh and a
graduate of the University,
Dr. Wilbur Deacon, has been
named director of the U.S.
Public Health Service ve
nereal disease research la
boratory at Atlanta, Ga.
Hospital business may re
ceive a tremendous boom
if a new dance created by a
University of Minnesota rock
'n roll combo becomes a
craze. The dance is called
"The Crusher" and two of its
more popular "steps" are
called "The Eye Gouge" and
"The Hammerlock."
The Crusher is to be danced
to a song of the same name
recorded by the Minnesota
group. The Novas. The song
was inspired by the fact that
one of the group's members
can growl just like a popular
wrestler named The Crusher.
The song begins with him
snarling and blaring "Heyyy!
Do the Hammerlock! Every
body do the Hammerlock! Do
the Eye Gouge! Do the Crush
er!" "We created the name of
the dance and now the kids
can take it from here," said
the group's leader.
"Crushing" practice may
be in order for some male
students at the University of
California.
A Men's Smoker was held
there recently and a "chest
check" was conducted at the
door to discover any mem
bers of the female sex who
might be attempting to sneak
into the smoker. However,
Candy Hughes (36-25-36)
somehow got in.
"I don't believe she really
got in," said the smoker's
chairman, Doug Patterson.
"But, there does seem to be
a strong possibility she did,"
he added.
"You can't hide urn -
I mean - well, a chest check
is a very thorough method
- I mean how can you lose?"
he said. "I'm questioning all
the chest checkers," he said,
"and I aim to find out who's
responsible."
Miss Hughes said that she
csed a large Ace elastic
bandage to successfully mas
ter her disguise.
A few other girls got into
the building where the smo
ker was held, but they were
caught and escorted out.
The coeds at the University
of Cincinnati are not so eager
to mix with the opposite ser
as those at California though.
Upon hearing of the IBM
dance held at Iowa State re
cently, an attempt was made
to hold a similar event at
Cincinnati. Sixty boys agreed
to the mechanical matchmak
ing, but only ten girls agreed
to take part.
Four men have been ar
rested at Kansas State Uni
versity in connection with the
burning of several homecom
ing floats there recently.
They have admitted taking
part in the vandalism which
caused over a thousand dol
lars damage to floats and
equipment. Three of the men
are students at Kansas State
and the fourth is a former
student there.
No action has been taken
against the men as yet.
Scholarship Grants Open
For Summertime In Japan
A trip to Japan next sum
mer will be awarded to three
college students or young
adults from the United States
by the Japan Air Lines to
commemorate the ten years
of international operations
completed this year.
The trips have been made
possible through a scholarship
grant from Japan Air Lines
to the experiment in interna
tional living, which will ad
minister them.
Those selected as scholar
ship winners will take part in
the experiment's college cr
community ambassador pro
gram. Before leaving for Jap
an they will gather informa
tion about their home and sur
roundings to answer any ques
tions which may be posed by
their Japanese hosts.
Details and application
forms may be obtained from
the experiment In internation
al living, Putney, Vt. or t h a
director of the west, experi
ment in international living
291 Geary Street, San Fran
cisco. Students applying for schol
arships should state this fact
in making inquiry and appli
cation. Applications will be ac
cepted until Feb. 15. Final se
lections will be announced in
March.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
RECEIVE THE NEXT ISSUE
Gollege JCife
Vol. XII
November 1964
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