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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1879)
KO. SJ. SYMT08IUM. 27 apply his knowledge, Is uol to be settled by figures computed to a fraction. This will lie manifest in alter lite, and as his object ought not to be a grade in the col lege records, so much as the acquisition of self-culture and expansion of mind, vc fail to see that marking is a necessary appendage to college discipline. It is unsound, because it can never fur nish a true or infallible record. Its im practicability is obvious. There was a time when men first hunted up the record of a graduate's Btanding before he was employed, but we suppose that this falla cy, like all others, was discarded because the purpose was not thereby answered, and valedictorians no longer impress the public with awe. The man is judged by his deeds and those only arc a criterion of his worth It seems, then, that the better way is this. Let the instructor judge by the gen. oral ability of the pupil; let him thus as. s.ert whether or no an advance to a higher class is desirable. That this marking system figures largely in public schools does not at all prove its efficiency in our colleges. The writer of this has taught several classes, discarding marking alto gather, without detriment to the progress of hi pupils. If, then, we ought to ex clude it from our common schools, as it on ly engenders hate and discontent, surely we ought to do so in our higher institu tions of learning. F. II. Our colleges, like all of our institutions, have usuges peculiar to America. As an independent people, we do not hold our selves bound to follow established cus toms, but on the other hand arc ever rea dy for any innovation which has an cle ment ol improvement in it. Thus has de veloped our educational system a monu ment to American genius. The theory of teaching is studied phil osophically and hence many old methods have been discarded and new ones ad opted. Among other systems in general use in our schools and colleges, is that of marking 01 grading. This system has long been employed in our common and graded schools, where its utility is un questioned. Indeed, it is considered so in dispensable that it has been incorporated in our school laws, so Uiat ever (cachet is required to keep a complete record of each pupil's standing and report the same to the school officers. But to some, the use of the marking system in our colleges is of doubtful util ity. In order to decide the question un der discussion, il must be tested theoretic ally and practically. If it is correct in theory, the chances are that it will stand the practical test. American students are, as a general thing, younger than the students of like institutions in Europe. In fact, the ma jority of them are mere youths. Now if, as all admit, the marking system is bene iicial in common and graded schools, why should it not be in those of a still higher grade, namely, colleges? If our students were men and women who had attained their majority, and therefore in college at their own expense and of their own ac cord, the case would be dillcrent. Then, as an incentive to study, perhaps the sys tem would be of little use. But since they are not men and women, only boys and girls, every argument in favor of the system in the schools, applies equally to our colleges. It serves one important use, in that it is the means of conveying direct knowledge to the parent or guard iau of the standing of the student in his studies. It affords something tangible to the parents by which they may judge ol the record made. If the recoru is a good one, they are encouraged to keep him in college; if poor, the proper per. sons know it. No system yet devised would bo as satisfactory to parents as this one of marking. But it is objected that the record is nec essarily incorrect. Of course we no not claim infallibility for it, but we do claim