MATRICULATION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1713, 2 April 1913, Page 5

MATRICULATION.

Sir,—l /don't think the powers that be realise the great'physical strain imposed in au examination in half-a-dozen subjects such as the above. No doubt the "man in the street" would find it a comparatively easy matter 'to pass in half that number of subject?., but the other three would be too much for him. When I sat for the above examination I passed, in Latin, French, English, geography, and history with sufficient marks in Latin to entitle me to the Solicitor-General's knowledge. The last subject of the series, however, was arithmetic (a compulsory subject), and. on this day . I had a violent headache, and failed in arithmetic by four marks only. Sitting again the following year, after a further year's "study," I again passed, this time in _ all six subjects, viz., Laiin, French, English, history, geography, aud arithmetic, yet after a further year's study of the subject did not obtain sufficient marks in Latin'to entitle me to-the Solicitor-Gen-eral's knowledge. I understand there are now three courscs open to me—(l) to sit again for the whole examination; (2) to sit in Latin only for junior scholarship paper; and (3) to take first year's terms in Latin at the University. I am not complaining, but surely seeing that I have already passed in this subject the subsequent'work entailed, is all time wasted on my part. In a case sucli as this surely in future the candidate might be allowed to sit again in arithmetic without repeating all six subjects and standing'a chance of making his position worse instead of better. As I mentioned above the preparation of half-a-dozen subjects at once entails a severe physical strain,.especially when one has a solid week of examinations to face at the end of the year. Again, it would be a great boon to who fail by; very little marks, often oc casioned chiefly by ill-health, if the ex amination was held half-yearly, instead o yearly, thus giving i student* an oppor tunity of having another try beforq the; get stale through having. to cover thi same ground over and over again.for sucl a long time. Trusting that you will b< able 'to find space for this communicatioi in the interests of students, and thank ing you,—l am; etc., . " AN'EAKNEST STUDENT.