REPORTS OF THE 
 cd^ERENCES 
 
 ON 
 
 Uniform Entrance Requirements 
 
 HELD AT 
 
 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 
 
 EBRUARY I St, 1 896 
 
? VjAA -r t? 1 K < ^ 
 
 LATIN 
 
 < 37 ^ 
 
 Seth Low, LL.D., 
 
 President of Columbia University . 
 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 We have the honor to submit herewith the recommenda- 
 tions of the Conference on Uniform Requirements in Latin 
 for admission to College, recently held under the auspices of 
 Columbia University. 
 
 The Conference met on the ist and on the 22d of February, 
 and again, after a further interchange of views by correspond- 
 ence, on the 23d of May. At each of the three meetings all 
 the members were present, namely, — Professors C. E. Bennett, 
 of Cornell University; Henry Gibbons, of the University of 
 Pennsylvania; E. P. Morris, of Yale; H. T. Peck, of Colum- 
 bia ; C. L. Smith, of Harvard, and J. H. Westcott, of Princeton ; 
 and Messrs. C. P. F. Bancroft, of Phillips Academy, Andover; 
 W. C. Collar, of the Roxbury Latin School; Wm. Gallagher, 
 of Williston Seminary; D. A. Kennedy, Dearborn-Morgan 
 School, Orange; H. U. King, School for Boys, Stamford, 
 and G. M. Whicher, of the Packer Institute, Brooklyn. 
 
 The recommendations relating to the preparatory course (I), 
 and to the examinations for admission (II), together with the 
 accompanying Notes (1-3), received the unanimous assent of 
 the Conference. The recommendation in the last paragraph, 
 relating to pass and honor examinations, was adopted by a 
 majority vote. 
 
 For the Conference, 
 
 Clement L. Smith, 
 
 Chairman . 
 
 ► George M. Whicher, 
 
 Secretary 
 
 « June 5, 1896. 
 
 bl 24 15 
 
4 
 
 Adopted May 23, 1896. 
 
 The Conference recommends: 
 
 I 
 
 That the colleges unite in defining the preparatory course 
 on which their examinations will be based, as follows: 
 
 1. The course should include — 
 
 (a) Easy reading, included in or following a suitable 
 introductory book (“ Latin Lessons”), amounting 
 to from 30 to 40 pages ;* 
 b ) Nepos and Caesar, 90 to 120 pages; 
 
 ( c ) Cicero, the speech on the Manilian Law, the four 
 against Catiline, and either the speech for Archias 
 or the Fourteenth Philippic, with additional 
 speeches at the option of the teacher, 90 to 120 
 pages in all. 
 
 (a) Vergil, ^Eneid I. -VI., with additional selections from 
 Ovid and Vergil, at the option of the teacher, 6,000 
 to 8,000 verses in all. 
 
 2. Throughout the preparatory course pupils should be 
 
 constantly guided in proper methods of reading and 
 trained to read the Latin understanding^, as Latin, 
 before undertaking to render it into idiomatic Eng- 
 lish. There should be constant practice in reading 
 aloud, with due expression, and in hearing the lan- 
 guage read. 
 
 3. After the completion of the introductory lessons, sys- 
 
 tematic study of grammar, with practice in writing 
 Latin should be maintained throughout the course. 
 
 II 
 
 That the examinations for admission to college include the 
 following tests : 
 
 1. The translation of passages selected from the portions 
 of Cicero and Vergil specified in I. 1. c and d , with 
 
 * The pages of the more recent Teubner text editions are taken as a 
 standard in this statement. 
 
5 
 
 questions designed to test the candidate’s understand- 
 ing of the passages, and also questions on the subject 
 matter. 
 
 2 a. The translation at sight of passages adapted to the 
 proficiency of candidates who have studied Latin in a 
 systematic course of at least five lessons a week for 
 three years, the passages to be selected from Nepos, 
 Caesar, and Ovid, or from other simple prose and 
 verse. 
 
 2 b. The translation at sight of passages adapted to the 
 proficiency of candidates who have studied Latin in a 
 course of at least five lessons a week for one year be- 
 yond the requirement of 2<z, the passages to be selected 
 from Cicero’s speeches, Vergil, and Ovid’s Metamor- 
 phoses, or from other prose and verse of no greater 
 difficulty. 
 
 In connection with the passages set for translation at sight 
 (2 a and 2 b), questions may be asked on ordinary forms, con- 
 structions, and idioms, and on prosody, and also questions 
 designed to test the candidate’s understanding of the pas- 
 sages set. 
 
 3. A thorough examination on a prescribed portion of 
 
 Cicero’s speeches (for three years, beginning with 
 1898, the 2d, 3d and 4th speeches against Catiline), 
 directed to testing the candidate’s mastery of the 
 forms, constructions, and idioms of the language; the 
 test to consist in part of writing simple Latin prose, 
 involving the use of such words, constructions, and 
 idioms only as occur in the speeches prescribed. 
 
 4. The translation into Latin prose of a passage of con- 
 
 nected English narrative, the passage set for transla- 
 tion being based on some portion of the prose works 
 specified in I. 1, and limited to the subject matter of 
 those works. 
 
 Note i. — It is recommended that any college which pre- 
 fers to confine its test in the reading of Latin authors to 
 translation at sight, and, therefore, omits II. 1, or to confine its 
 
6 
 
 test in Cicero and Vergil to the translation of passages from 
 the prescribed selections, and, therefore, omits II. 2 should 
 nevertheless unite with the other colleges in defining the 
 preparatory course on which its examinations will be based, 
 as provided in I. 
 
 Note 2. — The prescribed passages specified in I. c and d 
 and II. 3, may be changed from time to time by agreement 
 among the colleges. 
 
 Note 3. — It is recommended that this scheme go into 
 effect in June, 1898. 
 
 The Conference further recommends: That in addition to 
 the entrance or pass examination, colleges offer a severer 
 test, to consist of translation of passages at sight into Eng- 
 lish and into Latin, to be called an honor examination, and 
 to be optional for any candidate who has taken the regular 
 entrance examination. 
 
 GREEK 
 
 Entrance Requirements recommended by the 
 Conference. 
 
 I — Grammar. A thorough knowledge of the common 
 forms, idioms and constructions and of the general gram- 
 matical principles of Attic prose Greek, to be tested by an 
 examination on a prescribed portion of Xenophon (for the 
 next five years Xenophon’s Anabasis, Books I and II). The 
 test is to consist in part of questions, in part of simple sen- 
 tences set for translation into Greek; it may include also 
 translation from Greek into English. 
 
 II — Attic Prose at Sight. Ability to translate at sight 
 a passage adapted to the proficiency of those who have read 
 not less than 130 Teubner pages of Attic prose. The candi- 
 date is expected to show in his translation accurate knowl- 
 edge of the forms and structure of the language, and an 
 intelligent comprehension of the whole passage. 
 
7 
 
 III — Homer. Ability to translate a passage from some 
 prescribed portion of the Homeric poems (for the next three 
 years, Iliad, Book I and Book II, vv. 1-493), and to answer 
 questions designed to test the candidate’s understanding of 
 the passage, as well as questions upon poetic forms, con- 
 structions, and prosody. 
 
 IV — Homer at Sight. Ability to translate at sight a 
 passage of ordinary difficulty from the Iliad or Odyssey, 
 with the aid of a vocabulary of the less usual words. 
 
 V — Composition. Ability to translate into Attic prose a 
 passage of connected English narrative, employing the more 
 common words and constructions of some prescribed text. 
 (For the next five years a candidate will be allowed his 
 choice between a passage based on Xenophon’s Anabasis, 
 Books I and II, and a passage based on Xenophon’s Cyro- 
 paedia, Book I, Chaps. I to V, inclusive.) 
 
 Note i. — The work necessary for I and II, at least, can be done in two 
 years, and may be offered for preliminary examinations. 
 
 Note. 2. — The requirement for Composition (V) is here included among- the 
 subjects of the third year, because the Conference believes that it is well for 
 a candidate to keep up his study of Attic prose during that year. But this 
 shall not prevent a candidate, when properly certified by his teacher, from 
 presenting composition as a preliminary subject at the end of the second year. 
 
 NOte 3. — The prescribed passages required by I, III and V may be ar- 
 ranged from time to time by agreement between the colleges. 
 
 Note 4. — This scheme shall go into effect in June, 1898. 
 
 Note 5. — Any college which accepts this scheme of requirements for ad- 
 mission may, if it deems it necessary, set also an alternative examination for 
 any part of it. 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 I — Resolved , That the colleges be requested to include in 
 their requirements for admission a choice of subjects out of 
 the following topics: 
 
 (1) The history of Greece to the death of Alexander, with 
 due reference to Greek life, literature and art. 
 
 (2) The history of Rome to the accession of Commodus, 
 
 with due reference to literature and government. 
 
8 
 
 (3) English History, with due reference to social and polit- 
 ical development. 
 
 (4) American History, with the elements of Civil Govern- 
 ment. It is expected that the study of American His- 
 tory will be such as to show the development and 
 origin of the institutions of our own country; that it 
 will, therefore, include the colonial beginnings; and 
 that it will deal with the period of discovery and early 
 settlement sufficiently to show the relations of peoples 
 on the American continent, and the meaning of the 
 struggle for mastery. 
 
 Any two of these topics to constitute a required subject for 
 entrance to college. 
 
 The Conference expects that for any one of the four topics 
 one year’s work of at least three periods a week, or an equiv- 
 alent, will be necessary. 
 
 In the judgment of the Conference it is very desirable that 
 Greek and Roman history be offered as a part of the prepara- 
 tion of every candidate. If any college finds it necessary to 
 specify the particular subjects to be required, it is recom- 
 mended that these two topics be named. 
 
 II — Resolved , That in addition to the examination, satis- 
 factory written work done in the secondary school, and cer- 
 tified by the teacher, should constitute a considerable part of 
 the evidence of proficiency required by the college. It is 
 suggested that this requirement may be met by the presenta- 
 tion of a note book or bound collection of notes. 
 
 III — Resolved , That such written work should include 
 practice in some of the following: 
 
 (a) Notes and digests of the pupil’s reading outside the 
 text-books. 
 
 ( b ) Written recitations requiring the use of judgment and 
 
 the application of elementary principles. 
 
 (d) Written parallels between historical characters or 
 periods. 
 
 (d) Brief investigations of topics limited in scope, prepared 
 outside the class-room, and including some use of 
 original material where available. 
 
9 
 
 a 
 
 (e) Historical maps or charts, made from printed data and 
 comparison of existing maps, and showing movements 
 of exploration, migration or conquest, territorial 
 changes or social phenomena. 
 
 IV — Resolved , That the examinations in history for entrance 
 to college ought to be so framed as to require comparison 
 and the use of judgment on the pupil’s part, rather than 
 the mere use of memory. The examinations should presup- 
 pose the use of good text-books-, collateral reading, and 
 practice in written work. Geographical knowledge should 
 be tested by requiring the location of places and movements 
 on an outline map. 
 
 V — Resolved , That the colleges (in cases where they allow 
 history as an advanced option) be requested to accept any 
 one of the four alternatives which follow, either as additional 
 preparation for entrance, or for advanced standing. For each 
 of the alternatives will be necessary two years’ work of at 
 least three periods a week, or an equivalent. 
 
 1. A course of Greek and Roman History for those only 
 
 who have offered English History and American His- 
 tory as an elementary subject. 
 
 2. A course in English History and American History for 
 
 those who have offered Greek and Roman History as 
 an elementary subject. 
 
 3. A course in the History of Europe from the Germanic 
 
 invasions to the beginning of the seventeenth cent- 
 ury. 
 
 4. A year’s study of any of the elementary fields not 
 
 already offered as an elementary subject; combined 
 with a year’s detailed study of a limited period within 
 that field. 
 
 George B. Adams, 
 
 Chairman. 
 
 Wilson Farrand, 
 
 Secretary. 
 
IO 
 
 MATHEMATICS 
 
 The conference on uniform entrance requirements in Math- 
 ematics met, immediately after the general meeting of all 
 the conferences, in Room 40, Hamilton Hall, Columbia Col- 
 lege, at 1 1 o’clock. 
 
 The conference organized by the election of Professor Van 
 Amringe, of Columbia, as Chairman, and Mr. A. H. Cutler, 
 of the Cutler School, New York, as Secretary. 
 
 On calling the roll the following conferees were found to be 
 present: 
 
 Harvard — Prof. Byerly. 
 
 Princeton — Prof. Fine. 
 
 Pennsylvania — Prof. Doolittle. 
 
 Columbia — Prof. Van Amringe. 
 
 Cornell — Prof. Wait. 
 
 W. F. Bradbury, Latin School, Cambridge, Mass. 
 
 A. H. Cutler, Cutler School, New York City. 
 
 Fletcher Durell, Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, 
 N. J. 
 
 J. G. Estill, Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, Conn. 
 
 S. A. Farrand, Newark Academy, Newark, N. J. 
 
 Leigh R. Hunt, Free Academy, Corning, N. Y. 
 
 A letter was received from Prof. Phillips, of Yale, regretting 
 that illness confined him at home and compelled his absence 
 from the conference. 
 
 The first topic considered was the entrance requirement in 
 Arithmetic. After a full discussion, participated in by all 
 the members of the conference present, the following resolu- 
 tion was unanimously adopted: 
 
 Resolved , That a formal examination in Arithmetic as a 
 separate requirement for entrance be dispensed with. 
 
 A knowledge of the metric system and the ability to reckon 
 accurately are to be presupposed. 
 
 The entrance requirement in Algebra was then considered. 
 After full discussion, it was unanimously 
 
 Resolved , That the entrance requirements in Algebra shall 
 be as follows : 
 
Algebra. — Factors, common divisors and multiples, 
 fractions, equations of the first degree with one or 
 more unknown quantities, involution including the 
 binomial theorem for positive entire exponents, 
 evolution, the doctrine of exponents, radicals and 
 equations involving radicals, quadratic equations of 
 one or two unknown quantities and equations solved 
 like quadratics, ratio and proportion, and putting 
 problems into equations. 
 
 It was further unanimously agreed that where the subject 
 is divided into preliminary and final examination, that the 
 preliminary examination shall include and be confined to the 
 following topics: Factors, common divisors and multiples, 
 fractions, equations of the first degree with one or more un- 
 known quantities, evolution, the doctrine of exponents, radi- 
 cals ; and that the remaining subjects named shall be required 
 in the final examination. 
 
 The subject of Geometry was then considered, and, after 
 full discussion, it was unanimously 
 
 Resolved, That the requirement in Geometry be as follows: 
 
 Plane Geometry: Including the solution of simple origi- 
 nal exercises and numerical problems. 
 
 It is understood by the conference that the entrance re- 
 quirements above noted are the minimum requirements in 
 Mathematics, on which it is hoped that the Faculties of all 
 the Colleges concerned will agree, and that any of the Col- 
 leges is to be free to make such additional requirements as 
 may seem best to its Faculty. 
 
 The conference desired it to be particularly noted in the 
 minutes of its proceedings that each one of its conclusions 
 was adopted, on roll-call, by the affirmative vote of the eleven 
 conferees present. 
 
 It was ordered that Professor Phillips of Yale, whose ab- 
 sence was deeply regretted by the conference, be invited to 
 record his vote upon each of the several topics noted in the 
 minutes. 
 
 The Chairman and the Secretary of the conference were 
 appointed a committee to formulate the conclusions of the 
 
12 
 
 conference for report to President Low, and with authority to 
 call a further meeting of the conference, should one in their 
 judgment be necessary. 
 
 Resolutions of thanks to President Low and Columbia 
 College for calling the conference and providing for its con- 
 venience and comfort, and to the Chairman and the Secretary 
 of the conference, were adopted; and then, on motion, the 
 conference adjourned subject to the call of the Committee. 
 
 Arthur H. Cutler, 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 J. H. Van Amringe, 
 
 Chairman. 
 
 A copy of the foregoing minutes was sent to Professor 
 Andrew W. Phillips, of Yale University, who was absent 
 from the meeting of the conference on account of illness. He 
 wrote to the Chairman under date of February 7th, 1896, as 
 follows: “ I have received a copy of the proceedings of your 
 conference held at Columbia College on the 1st inst., and 
 have read the resolutions adopted with much satisfaction. I 
 take pleasure in recording my vote in the affirmative on each 
 one of these resolutions. ” 
 
 J. H. Van Amringe. 
 
 March 13, 1896. 
 
 FRENCH 
 
 February 27, 1896. 
 
 Hon. Seth Low, LL.D., President of Columbia College: 
 
 Dear Sir: The members of the French Conference, assem- 
 bled in Columbia College on February 1st, discussed very 
 fully the means of unifying the present entrance requirements 
 at the six conferring colleges, and finally adopted by a unan- 
 imous vote each paragraph of the subjoined elementary and 
 advanced requirements; the requirements were also adopted 
 as a whole by the unanimous vote of the members present. 
 
13 
 
 Requirements for Elementary French. 
 
 A. The translation at sight of ordinary Nineteenth 
 Century Prose. 
 
 It is important that the passages set be rendered into clear 
 and idiomatic English. It is believed that the power of 
 translating at sight ordinary nineteenth century prose can be 
 acquired by reading not less than four hundred duodecimo 
 pages from the works of at least three different authors. 
 Not more than one-half of this amount ought to be from 
 works of fiction. This number of pages is to include not 
 only prepared work, but all sight reading done in class. 
 
 B. The translation from English into French of sen- 
 tences or of a short connected passage to test the 
 candidate’s familiarity with Elementary Grammar. 
 
 Elementary grammar is understood to include the con- 
 jugations of regular verbs, of the more frequent irregular 
 verbs, such as aller, envoyer, tenir, pouvoir, voir, vouloir, 
 dire, savoir, faire, and those belonging to the classes rep- 
 resented by ouvrir, dormir, connaitre, conduire, and 
 craindre; the forms and positions of personal pronouns, the 
 uses of other pronouns and of possessive, demonstrative, and 
 interrogative adjectives; the inflection of nouns and adjec- 
 tives for gender and number, except rare cases; the uses of 
 articles, and the partitive constructions. 
 
 It was the unanimous opinion of the conferees that the 
 elementary grammar requirements represented the minimum 
 of French grammar that ought to be required. 
 
 It was unanimously agreed that the wording of the require- 
 ments did not preclude the asking of direct grammar questions 
 on the part of any institution that wished to enforce such a 
 requirement. 
 
 Note. — Pronunciation should be carefully taught and 
 pupils be trained to some extent to hear and understand 
 spoken French. The writing of French from dictation is 
 recommended as a useful exercise. 
 
 I 
 
14 
 
 Advanced Requirements. 
 
 A. The translation at sight of standard French. 
 
 It is important that the passages set be rendered into clear 
 and idiomatic English. It is believed that the necessary 
 proficiency in translation at sight can be acquired by reading, 
 in addition to the elementary work, not less than six hundred 
 duodecimo pages of prose and verse from the writings of at 
 least four standard authors. A considerable part of the 
 amount read should be carefully translated into idiomatic 
 English. 
 
 B. The translation into French of a connected passage of 
 
 English prose. 
 
 Candidates will be expected to show a thorough knowledge 
 of accidence and familiarity with the essentials of French 
 syntax, especially the uses of tenses, modes, prepositions and 
 conjunctions. 
 
 The conference, after fully discussing the matter of pre- 
 scribing or even suggesting definite text books or texts 
 for both the Elementary and the Advanced requirements, 
 were unanimously opposed to such prescription or suggestion ; 
 it was felt that it might be left to the French department at 
 each college to answer at its discretion written requests for 
 information on text books. 
 
 Note. — Careful attention should be paid to pronunciation 
 and the use of spoken French. 
 
 All of which is respectfully submitted to you with the en- 
 dorsement of the undersigned members of the French Con- 
 ference : 
 
 Adolphe Cohn, Columbia, Chairman. 
 
 Julius Sachs, New York, Secretary. 
 
 F. de Sumichrast, Harvard. L. Boisse, New York. 
 
 Jules Luquiens, Yale. C. H. Grandgent Boston. 
 
 George M. Harper, Princeton. John Meigs, Pottstown, Pa. 
 Hugo A. Rennert, Univ. of 
 
 Pennsylvania. G. W. Rollins, Boston. 
 
 T. F. Crane, Cornell. J. H. B. Spiers, Philadelphia. 
 
GERMAN 
 
 March 4TH, 1896. 
 
 President Seth Low, LL.D., 
 
 Columbia University. 
 
 Dear Sir: — 
 
 The members of the German Conference held at Columbia 
 University, February 1st, 1896, after full discussion of the 
 means of unifying the present entrance requirements at the 
 six colleges represented, adopted by a unanimous vote each 
 paragraph of the subjoined elementary and advanced require- 
 ments, and have since unanimously adopted the requirements 
 as a whole. 
 
 In Elementary German. — ( a ) The rudiments of grammar, 
 and especially these topics: the declension of articles, adjec- 
 tives, pronouns, and such nouns as are readily classified; the 
 conjugation of weak and of the more usual strong verbs; the 
 commoner prepositions; the simpler uses of the modal auxil- 
 iaries; the elementary rules of syntax and word order. The 
 proficiency of the applicant may be tested by questions on the 
 above topics and by the translation into German of simple 
 English sentences. ( b ) Translation at sight of a passage of 
 easy prose containing no rare words. It is believed that the 
 requisite facility can be acquired by reading not less than two 
 hundred duodecimo pages of simple German. 
 
 Practice in pronunciation, in writing German from dicta- 
 tion and in the use of simple German phrases in the class- 
 room is recommended. 
 
 Preparation for the elementary requirement need not call 
 for more than one year’s instruction of five periods per 
 week. 
 
 In Advanced German. — (a) More advanced grammar. In 
 addition to a thorough knowledge of accidence, of the ele- 
 ments of word-formation, and of the principal uses of prepo- 
 sitions and conjunctions, the candidate must be familiar with 
 the essentials of German syntax, and particularly with the 
 uses of modal auxiliaries and the subjunctive and infinitive 
 moods. The proficiency of the applicant may be tested by 
 
1 6 
 
 questions on these topics, and by the translation into German 
 of easy connected English prose, (b) Translation at sight of 
 ordinary German. It is believed that the requisite facility 
 can be acquired by reading, in addition to the amount men- 
 tioned under Elementary German, at least five hundred pages 
 of classical and contemporary prose and poetry. It is recom- 
 mended that not less than one-half of this reading be selected 
 from the works of Lessing, Schiller and Goethe. 
 
 It is recommended that the candidate acquire the ability to 
 follow a recitation conducted in German and to answer in 
 that language questions asked by the instructor. 
 
 Preparation for the advanced requirement need not call for 
 more than two additional years of instruction. 
 
 All of which is respectfully submitted. 
 
 Horatio S. White, Chairman. 
 
 Wm. H. Carpenter, Secretary .