"CRAM."'

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 25, 30 January 1908, Page 6

"CRAM."'

. » Another discussion of exceptional interest took place in. the University Senate yesterday, when the vexed problem of "cram" was brought to a practical point by the Rev. A. Cameron's motion that the question of accepting the certificate of masters of approved secondary schools in place of the matriculation examination should be referred to a rscess committee to consider and report to tho senate at its next meeting. Though the motion, did not directly advocate the carrying out of so revolutionary a proposal as the practical abolition of the matriculation examination, but merely urged that it should be enquired into, the mover necessarily went beyond tho terms of his motion, and dwelt at length upon the evils of the present system and the merits of tho proposed substitute. Speakers on the other side took up tho challenge, and a very strenuous and interesting debate resulted. On the negative branch of his subject the mover had no difficulty in making ' out a very strong case. An examination conducted on paper and in a wholesale fashion by an examiner who has no previous knowledge of the candidates or must exclude whatever casual knowledge he may happen to possess in &< few cases, is necessnrily a very clumsy test of merit. Tha best that can be said for it is that, clumsy as this test may bo, it is in general the best that can be devised. But wherever the circumstances admit of the application of a more satisfactory plan, the whole trend of modern educational methods is in favour of adopting it. A man who has the intimate knowledge of a pupil's work, which is derived from close personal contact over a long period, is in a far better position to appraise tho merits- of the pupil that an equally competent authority who , has nothing but the results of a single examination as the basis of his judgment. The ablest examiner may be deceived by the carefully disguised effects of a process of "cram," but such deception would be impossible over a period of sovoral months or year* From this point of view the ablest educational reformers have long been urging the substitution of Work for examination as tha test of merit wherever it can be applied. A .double advantage is secured by the- change, for not only are the students thus subjected to abetter test, but they can be induced to do better work. With an examination in view far ahead, on the. result of which the student's whole future career may appear to depend, it is only natural that both ho and his teachers should subordiuate his course of study to its requirements. It was mainly from the latter -point of view that tho mover attacked the matriculation system yesterday. He argued, with good authority to back him, that the university examination, instead of raising the standard of high schools' and secondary schools, had subordinated tho whole school curriculum to its tyranny, had promoted "a tendency to pure cram and, memory work," 1 and proved "disastrous to the cultivation of good literature in sohools." If the masters of these schools could certify their own pupils as competent for matriculation, this tyranny would be removed. The motion was warmly supported, and also warmly combated. Some of the difficulties in the way of the reform are obvious, and especially those involved in the selection and organisation of the schools which aie to be privileged to pass their pupils in this way. The chancellor for onco declined' to follow. American precedent, and the weight of authority in yesterday's .debate was, on the whole, against the change. But by the decisive majority of 12 / vote- to 7 the senate'affirmed the need for enquiry, 'and' the matter will accordingly be considered by a committee during the recess. Though the reform looks at present like an ideal \Vhich may have a long time to wait for its realisation, enquiry can at least do no harm, and may perhaps suggest -a course which will" alleviate the tyranny of "cram" and "tips."