Education: Busier Faculties

In the old days schoolmasters kept terrible watch over their students when examination days came to pass. Should a student peer too curiously at his shirt cuff, he would be summoned to the master’s desk. In the old days, masters often spanked.

More recently many schools and colleges in the U. S. adopted the honor system. During examination hours, therefore, schoolmasters could do anything they liked. They could titter over Petronius, they could play golf. Life became easy for the masters (from magister [Latin]: master, director, superintendent) during examination hours.

Last week Yale College put a stop to such sidestepping of supervision and abolished the honor system for Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors, but not for the Freshmen. Henceforth, the faculty will be busier during examination hours.

The move to abolish the honor system started last year when the Student Council by referendum established its unpopularity. The chief cause of dislike was a clause in the honor system code which required students to report cases of “cribbing.”