528 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXIII. No. 849 



problem. The absorbing material applied 

 should be tested experimentally so that the 

 area covered will give a satisfactory result. 

 Moreover, in cases of well-defined echoes each 

 auditorium will probably require more de- 

 tailed study. 



There are an increasing number of archi- 

 tects in this country who are actively inter- 

 ested in the subject of architectural acoustics, 

 but, with one exception, they have not de- 

 voted much time to experimental investiga- 

 tion. This exception is an architect who is 

 devoting his entire time to acoustical engi- 

 neering. On the other hand, the public does 

 not realize the present knowledge on the sub- 

 ject of architectural acoustics and the archi- 

 tect does not make a serious attempt to 

 educate. The purpose of this note is to call 

 the attention of scientific men to the acous- 

 tical engineer and to urge their active inter- 

 est so far as the education of the public and 

 the recognition of the need of such a con- 

 sulting engineer are concerned. 



G. W. Stewart 



The State Univeesitt op Iowa 



academic efficiency 



To THE Editor of Science: Since on sev- 

 eral occasions there have appeared in Science 

 certain criticisms of the Cooke report of the 

 Carnegie Foundation, I hope that you may be 

 willing to publish a brief statement of an 

 opposite view. 



Both the report itself and its introduction 

 by Dr. Pritchett state clearly that the opinions 

 of an " outsider " were considered desirable. 

 The recent criticisms of collegiate conditions 

 by many who have not actually studied at first 

 hand the things they condemn seem to have 

 led to the investigation upon which the report 

 is based. 



Most of the opinions set forth in the report 

 are precisely those which any well-informed 

 person not connected with a college would 

 hold after a similar study of what actually 

 exists. Moreover, not a few persons on the 

 inside of the college world hold quite similar 

 views. In some ways certain of us go even 

 farther in condemning a part of the things 



that are more or less characteristic of the col- 

 lege life of to-day. 



Especially in trying to fit young men to 

 meet successfully the practical conditions of 

 the real business world, we lament most deeply 

 the woeful lack of the " snap and vigor " 

 which Mr. Cooke found wanting in most of 

 the institutions visited. The " lack of inten- 

 siveness " appeals to us much more as a 

 hindrance to the proper preparation of our 

 students for what we know will be required 

 of them in the near future than for any other 

 reason. Not a few of those who employ many 

 highly trained workers positively condemn the 

 college graduate, and will not hire him until 

 he has been whipped into line by sufficient 

 practical experience after his graduation. 

 Some of us know that this is not on account 

 of the subjects which we teach or do not teach 

 in our courses, but rather on account of the 

 general attitude of many of our graduates 

 toward the work that may be assigned them. 

 During the first half year of the cooperative 

 system at the University of Cincinnati, Dean 

 Schneider says he was frequently called to his 

 telephone to listen to something similar to 

 this : " That cub you sent down here thinks 

 this is a university. He won't work." Far 

 too many young men in the colleges and in 

 the collegiate departments of the universities 

 " won't work." Too many students in all of 

 our institutions have no proper conception of 

 the real economic value of their own time or 

 of the opportunities within their grasp. Such 

 ones do not make efficient use of what is pro- 

 vided for them, in funds and in equipments 

 of various kinds. They cut class and labora- 

 tory exercises without adequate reasons. They 

 try all kinds of schemes to get out of regular 

 and systematic work. They neglect to do 

 many of the things assigned to them, in many 

 cases up to what they consider the very lower 

 limit of a bare passing grade. Sometimes 

 they ask if they can " cut " this or neglect 

 that and still have a chance to " pass." They 

 give time, energy and most of the thinking 

 that they do, to things which can not be of the 

 least permanent value to them in later life. 



Such students do these and many other 



