Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1920 [PAGE 282]

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278

BOARD

or

TRUSTEES

[March IS,

I talked with you about this matter last spring, and you asked me to obtain expressions of opinion from Dean Davenport, Professor Bevier, and Professor Washburn as to the desirability of some such amendment of the several sets of scholarship regulations. I sent to each of those officers a letter containing the substance of the preceding paragraphs and asking for expressions of their opinion, and I have the following replies: From Dean Davenport With the desire to limit the scholarship privilege to distinctly superior students, I have only the warmest sympathy, but I am doubtful whether it is quite safe to apply this principle to the achievements of the Freshman year. For example I find that of our registration in Chemistry 1 the past semester, nearly 37 per cent failed and in Chemistry la, over 47 per cent failed. This is an average of 42^2 per cent. As long as conditions continue whereby one department in one semester cuts out nearly half its students and while the same students go up against rhetoric, which is another subject of high fatality, I question whether it is wise to apply the principle to the work of the Freshmen. I recommend that the action be modified to read for the Sophomore instead of the Freshman year. I thoroly agree with the proposal that a scholarship student should have proved his superiority in the high school, and that he should stand among the first this is none too severe. We could hardly have lived under this a number of years ago when most of our students were specials but I think we would have no difficulty now, except that it could not apply to the special student class. From Professor Bevier I have read with considerable interest your letter with reference to the provisions for scholarships. They seem to me excellent ideas. I would be glad to have them acted upon for Household Science, provided that corresponding provisions be made for Agriculture and Ceramics. I have always had the idea that a scholarship ought to be a reward of merit of some kind. From Professor Washburn I have presented the matter in question to the staff of the Department. The opinion expressed by the staff was to the effect that they would not like to see modifications of the present regulations with regard to scholarships in ceramic engineering, at least not as radical as some of those suggested. For example: the stipulation that the candidate must be in the upper third of his high-school class would, it seems to us to some extent, destroy the original purpose of these scholarships. You will recall that these scholarships are granted on nomination of the Clay Manufacturers Association and I take it, therefore, tha the purpose was to especially stimulate registration in this subject and possibly to recognize the assistance of the Clay Manufacturers Association in bringing the Department to its present condition. The number of applicants for these scholarships is at best extremely small and there is never any question of competition in connection with them; that is, it is difficult enough to get one student from a county. I think a regulation limiting candidates for such scholar-