THE CRIME

Once there was a student who took great pride in his work. His marks were the delight of his parents, the envy of his classmates, and the great satisfaction of his instructors. But to his great chagrin, he got an 'A' minus on a Philosophy 3 thesis.

Obviously disappointed, he approached the venerable professor, laid the paper on the desk, and respectfully asked an explanation of the wretched grade, hinting that an 'A-plus' would have been much more satisfactory.

The professor adjusted his glasses, cleared his throat, and, without speaking, began to thump through the pages. In a moment he looked up.

"You think you deserve an 'A-plus'?, he asked sincerely.

"Why, yes, sir," responded the student. "I spent a great deal of time on the paper."

Again the professor looked down at the carefully typed document before him. Slowly he picked up a pencil and drew a long, vertical line through the minus.

"After all," he said, handing it back with a smile, "What's the difference?"

* * *

Charity may begin at home, but for one aspiring Freshman, the true meaning of virtue was made manifest in a blaze of light when he received his corrected History 1 midyear. To the bottom of the essay question, which had been crossed and checked and scribbled over by the mentor, was appended the following generous award: "One point for partial neatness."