THE KANSAS UNIVERSITY WREKKLY
Editor in Chief ... KALPH ELLIS
Associates { A. H. BAYNE
    E. B. BLACK
Sporting Editor ... FRED A. GILLETTE
Local Editor .. J. W. KAYSEY
Society Editor .. MABEL BARBER
Literary Editor .. CHAS. L.VANLEFERT
Business Manager . M. N. McNAUGHTON
REPORTERS.
J. B. Klieman, Geo. Hansen, Wm. Shaw,
Hert Bench, O. A. Zimmerman, Ruy Barton,
J. R. Brady, Mary Burwell, Earl Campbell.
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IN SOME of the eastern colleges, notably Princeton and Columbia, matters of student discipline are left to the students, and the faculty members are relieved of the police duties which they are called upon to discharge in most institutions of learning. It is found to be a fact usually that where the students themselves suggest that they be given charge of such matters the system works well but where the faculty takes the initiative in establishing the "honor system" it does not succeed. The failure of the proposed innovation at Cornell recently is an example of this fact. Princeton also had a similar experience for when the faculty attempted to start the regime of student rule the plan failed and was later taken up by the students and made successful.
It is not greatly to be wondered at that the plan submitted by the Cornell faculty met with defeat. The faculty imposed three duties upon the students, all of which had to do with cheating in examinations. In the first place all students were required to promise to receive no aid in examinations. They were then asked to promise to give no assistance and finally to agree to report all cases of cheating to a student committee which would call the attention of the faculty to the offenses. The Cornell students were willing to accept the first two propositions but very few were found who would agree to act the role of informant upon their classmates.
It would seem that a great many things were asked of the students. If all students would agree to receive no aid and keep their agreement, cheating would be done away with but besides this all students must agree to give no help. What is the use of the second condition? If no one would receive aid, no one could give aid. If the students broke the first promise they would not be likely to keep the second one any better. The fact that so many conditions were imposed would indicate that the faculty did not have a great deal of faith in the honor of the student body and when students think that they are distrusted by their professors there is all the more tendency to cheat in examinations.
The idea of each student acting as a spy, however, was justly very unpopular with the students. From his earliest school
days the American boy is trained to hate a "tattler." Very few of us, unless it be some mamma's boy who used to play the part, have ever forgiven the lad who always ran to the teacher every time an interesting fight was started or some rule broken and as remuneration for his services was granted indulgences not enjoyed by the rank and file of the pupils. It is not that students favor the wholesale breaking of rules but that they hate the spy system which makes the informant idea so unpopular.
The question of how to eliminate cheating in examinations is a very hard one to answer. If the honor system could be made to work successfully it would be by far the most satisfactory but it seems to be difficult to find a faculty which has sufficient faith in the honor of the student body to install such a system on a popular basis. It is a well known fact that the professor who tries the hardest to keep his students from cheating is the one who is the most imposed upon. No man could be acute enough to detect all the schemes for cheating which the fertile minds of the students devise, for it really takes a brighter person to cheat well than to pass an examination, for which he is fully prepared, without cheating. As long then as the honor system is not installed there are sure to be cases of cheating and even where the system has been adopted there are occasional instances of fraud.
In view of the fact that there is so much danger of injustice in regular written examinations it would seem wise to reduce their importance to the lowest possible degree. A professor who has the opportunity to watch the work of a student under him for an entire semester ought to be able to tell pretty closely what kind of a grasp he has upon the subject. In cases where the professor is in doubt why not resort to an oral examination? There could be no chance of the student cheating in such an examination and the instructor could get a much better idea of what he really knew about the subject by an informal talk than by reading a paper which the student had written probably honestly but perhaps dishonestly. Writer examinations seem to be a sort of tradition in American schools but it would seem that they might be dispensed with without lowering the standing of the institution and at the same time increase the justice of grades. A great many professors do not grade a great deal upon examinations and some do not ever look at the papers. In cases of this kind the student who cheats gains nothing while the one who takes the examination honestly really gains by exercising his memory and practicing writing down his thoughts under pressure.
TOO MANY students of history do not realize the value of the History Conference which has just begun its work for the year. This is a movement in which every history student should be interested. The work which is taken up in the
conference is, to a great extent, of a character not obtained in the class room but which is of vast importance as a side light upon regular history courses. Mr. Boynton's paper upon "The Black Death" at the first meeting will serve as an excellent example. Aside from the mere historical importance of this terrible pestilence, he pointed out the grave social and economic dangers which it brought about. He awakened the minds of his hearers to the broader view of a historical event and caused them to see it clothed with a new significance. This broadening of historical conceptions; the study of the close relation which history bears to other studies; the influence other than historical which is reflected by historical events, is a phase of history study which is too often missed by the student who buries himself in the text book of history. The broad study of history must be carried on from several view points.
This is the idea that is carried out in the History Conference, and the man or woman who would get the most out of his or her historical studies will miss an opportunity for additional help in the work by failing to take advantage of these meetings.
THE ELECTION of the Phi Beta Kappas from the senior class last Monday was an event which will be remembered by nineteen members of the Class of 1904 with feelings of pride and gratification. For nearly four years a large number of the senior class have been working for this reward. Every final grade has been awaited with fear and trembling lest it should dash the hopes for this honorary position. At last it is over, the candidates have been chosen and the WEEKLY extends congratulations to the successful nineteen. They have earned the position by hard earnest effort and deserve the honor shown them.
Perhaps there are some members of the class who are lisappointed because they too, were not among the chosen. They can have the comfort of remembering that they belong to the class of 1904—about the best ever—and incidentally assure themselves that even a Phi Beta Kappa don't have a quit claim deed to all the good things in life and that there are still honors to be fought for to which they are eligible.
THE heavy mortality list among the freshmen in the recent term examinations shows two things:first that Kansas University is steadily demanding a higher standard of scholarship on the part of its students,and second;that the high school preparatory courses are too often inadequate for proper preparation for a university course.
The office of High School Visitor at the University was created for the purpose of getting the high schools into closer touch with the University and if this can be accomplished and the courses of study in the various high schools altered to meet University requirements the time
will shortly arrive when the percentage of failures in the freshman class will be no greater than that of the upper classes.
DESPIITE Carrie Nation's ef. forts to overshadow George Washington's work with the hatchet, we invariably turn our thoughts to the father of our country at this time of the year, when working up the morning kindling.
THE freshman base ball team is budding out early this spring. Some of the other classes smile and predict frost.
Do You Anticipate buying a Typewriter?
Investigate the merits of the Chicago. Price $35.
CHICAGO FRED BOYLES, 639 Mass. has secured the agency and sells either for cash or payments. Also a full line of paper, ribbons, carbon paper, or anything in the stationery line
Fred J. Boyles,
Headquarters for Good Eatables.
639 Mass. St.
We have been making a special effort to get in a full stock of good things to eat.
W. A. GUENTHER
'Phone 226.
721 Mass. St.
WM. WIEDEMANN,
The Confectioner.
His Berwie Bay Agent for Lowney's Oysters are del Allegretti's,Headley's delicious... Lyon's Chocolates...
PURE CONFECTIONS AND ICE CREAM,
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New Books, Stationery. School Supplies [except text books.] WOLF'S BOOK STORE.
BYRON JONES,
Tel. 63. MEAT MARKET. 840 Mass SPECIAL RATES TO CLUBS.
823 Mass. St. HERTZLER & CO. Phone 609 White SPOT CASH GROCERY. SPECIAL RATES TO BOARDING CLUBS.
Pants Sale
$2.50, $3.00 and 3.50 value.
Your choice for $2.00.
829 M. J. Skofstad.
Mass.
All Garments
Gray, have the po handled right Repaired right Altered right Cleaned rightPressed right and Sent out all right.
Sent to the LAWRENCE PANTATO,
RIUM, 12 W. Warren St, Phone 506
orange that they are
There may be other places where you can have your clothes sent but there is the one place where you can find that the workmen are on to their business.
Go to TETER BROS. For Your Groceries and Meats They make Prices that make permanent customers.