Report on a Course of Liberal Educatiok. 341 



^'^spects, the examinations are the same as before. In April, 

 the senior class is examined in the studies of the senior 

 year to that time ; and the mode of the examination is the 

 same as of the other classes. In July the Seniors are exam- 

 ined for their degrees. They are examined in two divis- 

 ions, and on the whole college course. For a number of 

 years past, this examination has extended through not less 

 than three days, and sometimes three days and a half, at the 

 rate generally of eight hours a day. As the class is in two 

 divisions, this is the same as an examination of six or seven 

 days for the whole class together. All examinations in the 

 languages are ad aperturam libri ; and in no study, does any 

 understanding exist between the examiner and the examin- 

 ed as to the course which the examination is to take. It is 

 very seldom, that any student is absent from the examination 

 of his class ; and never, especially from the examination for 

 degrees, except for very urgent reasons. Whenever individ- 

 uals are absent, they are always examined afterv.'ards, and 

 more particularly, than they could have been, at the regular 

 time. For absence, therefore, there is no inducement. It 

 should be added, that during the examination for degrees, 

 the ordinary instruction in the college is uninterrupted ; 

 and during the other examinations, the interruption is only 

 partial. If all this is a miserable farce, it would be interest- 

 ing to know Vv^hat would be a reality. If it is in fact a farce, 

 it has not been suspected either by those who examine, or by 

 those who are examined ; or they have not rightly appre- 

 hended the meaning of the term. That these examinations 

 can admit of no improvement, is not pretended. Any sug- 

 gestions from the committee or the corporation on this sub- 

 ject will be received with all possible attention. It ought, 

 however, to be distinctly stated, that, in the opinion of the 

 faculty, the examinations of the classes, as now conducted, 

 are a powerful incentive to study, and afford the means, es- 

 pecially in connection with other opportunities, of forming a 

 satisfactory opinion of the attainments of each individual stu- 

 dent. 



The other charge, which, on the present occasion, ap- 

 pears to demand notice, is, that in none of our colleges is 

 there any thorough teaching. " The most that an instructor 

 now undertakes," says this writer, " in our colleges, is, to as- 

 certain from day to day, vi^hether the young men who are as- 

 sembled in his presence, have probably studied the lesson 



