ENGLISH A ON NEW BASIS

A new plan of study is at present being tried out in English A which is largely the outcome of President Lowell's desire for co-operative study.

Heretofore the twenty small sections in English A, of thirty men each, have been made up with no regard to other courses. This year, as an experiment, none sections have been organized in a different way; namely, by putting together men who have the common ground of certain other courses. There will be four sections of men who are taking Government I, three sections of men taking Philosophy one for History I, and one for Classics. Without in the least attempting to teach these subjects, English A will, whenever it seems feasible, try in assigning themes and readings, and in various other ways, to use the common ground of these other studies. Thus the men working more or less together in their courses may be approached as a common body with mutual interests, and the problem of illustration is practically solved.

There will still be a number of the mixed sections under the old method, and the scheme is to have a thorough try-out in that each instructor will have under him both old and new plan sections, and will be able to make a comparative study of the experiment.

Professor C.N. Greenough, of the department of English, says of the scheme, "It is hoped that, by the new arrangement, English composition may be thought of as standing less apart from a man's other studies than often seemed to be the case under the older plan. The mixed sections will not be given up, or their numbers greatly diminished, unless the new plan clearly proves its superiority. It has not been attempted before, so far as we know, and it will be very encouraging from every standpoint if it succeeds."