PAPERS PRESENTED AT GENERAL SESSIONS 79 



of the task; for example, there are greater differences 

 in mathematics than in plowing. One hnndred college 

 students tend to conform to a normal distribution curve : 



"Five students at one end can do more than five times 

 as much as five at the other end. ' ' 



' ' The next five at one end can do more than four times 

 as much as the next five at the other end." 



"There may be one or two who can do ten times the 

 average output for the class, while one or two are quite 

 certain to fail." 



His suggestion is that we section our classes according 

 to freshman entrance mental tests, rank in "prep" 

 school, early class grades, or any other evidence of 

 achievement. Then that we say to the student: "Indi- 

 cations are that you can do A, B, or C work, as the case 

 may be, but such grading is accepted in a tentative way ; 

 it now remains for you to show where you belong." Pro- 

 motion or demotion may follow as a result of his trial. 

 The student is apt to find his true level as fair standards 

 for quantity, quality, content and method of work are 

 set up, a fair basis for praise and blame established, and 

 a better morale because the student will feel more re- 

 sponsibility for himself, will feel his opportunity, his 

 power, the reward of achievement, and the stimulus of 

 competition. This is one device. 



Another device is our new American system of work- 

 ing for honors, suggestive, as President Aydelotte says 

 in his recent report to the National Research Council, 

 of the older Oxford system. The Oxford system roughly 

 provides for two groups in its colleges: (1) those who 

 come for "honors" or intellectual achievement; and (2) 

 those who do not, primarily. The B. A. degree is given 

 to both, but, we are told, there is as much difference be- 

 tween the pass B. A. and the first honors B. A. as be- 

 tween our American B. A. and Ph. D. The honors de- 

 gree may mean two or three times as much work and a 

 better quality of work than the ordinary bachelor's de- 

 gree. The Oxford honors man is not subject to lecture 

 attendance, he is told upon what fields he will be ex- 

 amined, not what and how much to do, and he is not ex- 



