452 REPORT— 1901. 



one hand it would compel all schools preparing students for the univer- 

 sities to give a fair share of attention to modern and scientific studies, 

 and more attention than is generally given to our own language and 

 literature ; whilst it would at the same time interpose a check on the 

 mischievous tendency to premature specialisation of study whilst a boy is 

 still at school. 



To these suggestions I have to add one more. 



This examination, like some others at the university, is a purely 

 ' pass ' examination, in which no opportunity is offered to the candidate 

 of winning any honours, and no mark of distinction can be gained by 

 work of unusual merit. 



In my judgment the continuance of any such pass education is 

 educationally a grave mistake, and I desire to see it made a rule that 

 the university will give marks of distinction for work of superior merit 

 in every examination which it conducts. 



The reasons in favour of such a change are sufficiently obvious, the 

 surprising thing being that the pass examination, with its corresponding 

 type of university student known as the ' passman,' should have been left 

 to survive into the twentieth century. 



A standai'd which every student is required to reach as a preliminary 

 to further instruction or as the qualification for a degree which is under- 

 stood to be within reach of any person of ordinary intelligence is, of 

 necessity, a comparatively low standard. 



It represents the minimum of attainment qualifying for a certificate, or 

 diploma, or degree. Not to win it is to be a failure. 



The natural result is that a large proportion of the students who offer 

 themselves for examination, and are, in fact, capable of reaching a con- 

 siderably high level of attainment, are content to aim at a minimum 

 instead of a maximum standard. This in many cases means the loss of 

 intellectual interest at the very time when it ought to be cherished and 

 stimulated, a loss which degenerates in not a few instances into down- 

 right idleness and waste. 



The pity of it is that many of those to whom the preparation for a 

 pass examination, in which failure is discreditable and success no honour, 

 is irksome drudgery would become keenly interested in the very study 

 which is now a weariness if their ambition were roused by the hope of 

 some distinction to be won in connection with it. 



So, then, I plead for such changes as I have here suggested in the 

 belief that the effect would be to send a fresh stream of intellectual 

 activity through many of our schools, to give a fair field to modern and 

 scientific studies, and to draw out the undeveloped capacities, the dormant 

 faculties and gifts of many of our boys and young men, Avhilst doing no 

 harm to the traditional classical culture of either fcchool or university. 



It may possibly be alleged in some quarters that my proposed require- 

 ments would lay too heavy a burden on many candidates for admission. 



The argument will no doubt be used that by requiring an acquaintance 

 with so many subjects we should overweight the learner or i-educe the 

 knowledge of each subject to a superficial smattering. It is better, we 

 shall be told, to concentrate and make the standard to be reached in any 

 subject studied a fairly high one, and thus give some real mental 

 discipline. To this familiar line of argument a sufficient answer is not 

 far to seek. In the first place the candidates, as a rule, are at least 



