Word: reforms
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Dates: during 1880-1889
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...Harvard. Here, beyond some courses in the abstract principles of public policy and or two debates in the Union on political subjects, the university affords no opportunity for activity in thought or action on public matters. A few years ago we did have a lecture on Civil Service Reform and the students turned out well to hear it. Now why can this not be followed up? There are surely enough men who would become interested to form a good Civil Service Reform Club; and their influence, especially those of the two upper classes, who are so soon...
Surely when President Eliot's name is seen so often in the reports of the Civil Service Reform meetings and dinners, and not his only, but many of the overseers and of some of the faculty, it would seem that these gentlemen would be interested in doing something at home; and that if they really cared for the matter they would exercise some of their private influence, if not their public, where it might do so much good...
...could be farther than is the writer, from desiring to discourage those men, (far too few in numbers), "who come to Harvard for thorough study in some particular branch of knowledge." The reform is urged only for the sake of removing the temptation, which now exists, to take one's electives from a single branch of study, not with the purpose of making it a life work, but from motives of indolence, or from ambition for collegiate distinction...
Most of the electives (including all that are "arranged in a sequence of progression") give a full years' work to those who take them. It is only in exceptional courses that the reform is needed, for instance in Greek 3 and in French 4. These courses may be taken in three successive years. Certainly a student taking such a course a third time need devote no more than half as much work to it as is necessary from a sophomore; then it ought not to count more than a half course...
...issue of February 8 you printed an article on "Our Ranking System," suggesting remedies for what many men have long felt to be either a mistaken policy, or an injustice on the part of the faculty. In your issue of February 11, a correspondent, in arguing against your "third reform," makes the following statement: "This reformer would destroy the advantages of the elective system by placing a premium upon a superficial education, such as is to be obtained in the prescribed course which most American colleges require. Under the reform which is suggested, the specialist is triumphed over...