Apbil 27, 1906.] 



SCIENCE. 



645 



us from the point of view of the student of 

 natural sciences, who takes human nature 

 for his subject, are novel and are impor- 

 tant. They touch upon the fundamental 

 questions underlying the history of human 

 civilization, and their clear formulation 

 must be recognized as a distinct contribu- 

 tion of anthropology to the scientific de- 

 velopment of the day. Most important 

 among these results is, perhaps, the recog- 

 nition of the fundamental sameness of the 

 traits in human culture the world over and 

 of the psychic unity of mankind. The data 

 on which these conclusions are based have 

 not been without influence upon modern 

 history and modern philology, and I do 

 believe that if we have to learn much from 

 you, we can also offer in return a point of 

 view that will prove fertile in your work. 

 The modification of the theories of the de- 

 velopment of mythology, the better appre- 

 ciation of the earliest development of Greek 

 and Oriental culture, would hardly have 

 come about if anthropological points of 

 view had not made themselves felt in the 

 minds of archeologists and philologists. If 

 it must be our endeavor to broaden our 

 methods by learning from yoit, the founda- 

 tions of historical research, we may offer 

 to you also the results of many honest at- 

 tempts of applying the methods of natural 

 science to the phenomena of human culture. 

 Let us hope that our first joint meeting 

 may introduce a period of closer contact, 

 of greater readiness on the part of anthro- 

 pology to learn from her older sisters, and 

 of a better understanding of the aims of 

 anthropology by students of language and 

 of history. Feanz Boas. 



THE CONDITIONS OF ADMISSION TO 

 COLLEGER 



The topic assigned me springs out of a 

 paper given at the July meeting of the 



^ Can there be a coordination of the examining, 

 certificate, and accrediting (including school in- 



National Educational Association upon 

 another topic assigned me : ' Which is bet- 

 ter, the western plan of admitting students 

 to colleges and universities by certificates 

 from duly inspected secondary schools, or 

 by the eastern method of admitting only 

 by examinations conducted by representa- 

 tive boards or otherwise ? ' An abstract of 

 my treatment of this subject may best serve 

 as an introduction to the topic of to-day: 



Within a few years it may be determined which 

 plan, with all it implies in shaping far-reaching 

 educational ideals and practises, shall be na- 

 tional. The term ' western ' and ' eastern ' must 

 not import provincial pride, or sound a note of 

 sectionalism. 



The examination by the separate college of the 

 individual candidate, giving ' personal contact,' has 

 failed on account of the increase in numbers. 



The college entrance examination board organ- 

 ized in 1900, examined some 2,100 candidates this 

 year — a Lilliputian effort as compared with the 

 need to examine some 66,000 candidates. It has 

 all the disadvantages of massed examinations, 

 making it a gamble for the entering student and 

 of judgment simply upon paper. 



The New England college certificate board cares 

 for some 2,000 candidates and has the virtue of 

 resting upon the judgment of the teacher ac- 

 quainted with the pupil. But it lacks any note 

 of nationality and is without provision for any 

 proper inspection and accrediting of the schools. 



President Hadley has just announced that for 

 the present Yale will adhere to the separate ex- 

 amination system. Yet President Hadley per- 

 sonally would give teachers of proved ability the 

 opportunity to recommend for provisional admis- 

 sion to the freshman class. Thus President 

 Hadley is not far from the kingdom of the out- 

 right accrediting system for which we hope he 

 may become a leader, not only amongst his 

 brethren of the eleven colleges in the New England 

 college entrance certificate board, but throughout 

 the nation. The whole thing might be done if 



spection) systems for admission to college looking 

 toward a common or national administration in 

 the interests of students, colleges and the preser- 

 vation of the standards? Discussion opened by 

 President George E. MacLean, of the State Uni- 

 versity of Iowa, at the meeting of the National 

 Association of State Universities, Washington, 

 D. C, November 13-14, 1905. 



