William Alfred Millis,
The History of Hanover College
From 1827 to 1927

(Hanover, Indiana: Hanover College, 1927).

Hanover Historical Texts Project

Scanned and proofread by Sadiye Amcaoglu, Nida Khan,
Julie Merkel, Jonathan Perry, Faiza Shah, and Cory Sims in November 2000.



Chapter XI
Entrance and Graduation Requirements
183-194




[Page 183] THE first catalogue states, "The candidate for admission to College, previous to his examination, must produce satisfactory evidence that he sustains a fair moral character, and that he has completed the part of the course preparatory to the standing for which he is offered. If he has been a member of another College, a certificate of regular dismission will also be required. No one is admissible to the Freshman class until he has completed his fourteenth year: nor to an advanced standing without a corresponding increase in age."

The rule relating to the reception of students from other institutions has been in force since its adoption in 1832, and there is no evidence to suggest that the College has in any case knowingly violated this regulation. The fairest page in the history of Hanover College is the record of the dignity and fairness of her relations with her sister institutions.

The minimum age requirement of fourteen was subsequently raised to fifteen, but for many years no minimum age has been specified. Admission from the public high schools automatically fixes the age of entrance for the great majority at eighteen or slightly above.

Up to 1869 admission was limited to boys and young men. In an earlier chapter reference was made to the application of the Faculty to the Trustees that [Page 184] year for the admission of the young women of the immediate vicinity to such classes in the College as were not provided in the village schools. Upon the decision of the Board that the question was "out of order," the Faculty assumed the authority to admit the girls, since it had not been denied them. A considerable number were thus admitted, but their names were not published in the catalogue, and none applied for graduation. At their annual meeting in June, 1880, the Board voted to admit young women on equal terms with men. The first catalogue statement on this subject is of interest:

"At the Meeting of the Board of Trustees at Commencement, in 1880, the College, in all its departments was, with great unanimity, opened to women. The experience of a year has strongly confirmed the wisdom of the step. A larger number of young ladies than was anticipated, at once entered; and their presence has been a constant stimulus to study, to order, and to gentlemanly conduct on the part of the young men. Their standing has been such as to show that they are abundantly competent to do the work of the College." This observation is supported by the record of the forty-five years of subsequent experience.

Admission to Hanover is denied the negro. No other races are barred. In fact there have been many representatives of other races received and a number graduated. The story of the sole negro applicant for admission, and of the action of the Board in sustaining the Faculty in their rejection of the youth has been told. The policy then established has not been changed.

Until the year 1885 all candidates for admission to the Freshman class, except those coming from the Preparatory Department of The College, were subjected to an entrance examination in those subjects, [Page 185] the completion of which was presupposed by the studies of the Freshman year. From 1840 to 1850 the catalogue carried the admonition to parents and guardians that there be "exactness and thoroughness in the elementary studies required," particularly "that there be an accurate acquaintance with the Grammars of the Greek and Latin languages." In 1850 it was announced that examinations will be set in "Arithmetic, Geography, ancient and modern; Algebra; the English, Latin and Greek Grammars; Bullion's Greek Reader, or an equivalent; Caesar's Commentaries; select orations of Cicero and Sallust." In 1853 three books of Virgil were substituted for Sallust, and the Anabasis was added. But in 1859 Cicero, Virgil, and the Anabasis were removed. In 1861 United States History was added. In 1874 the catalogue states that "Candidates for admission to the Freshman class are required to pass an examination in the studies of the Preparatory Department or in their equivalents." This regulation remained in effect with the exception that candidates for admission to the Scientific Course were exempt from examination in Greek, until 1885, when the College adopted the plan of admitting from approved public high schools upon certificate of the principal. Such schools were required to have a course of study equal to that of the Preparatory Department. In 1907 the requirements were increased to total fifteen units, taking the course in the Preparatory Department as a standard. In 1918 the total was raised to sixteen units, distributed as follows:

Foreign Language, Ancient or Modern......................3 units
Mathematics.............................................................3 units
English.....................................................................3 units
History.....................................................................1 unit
[Page 186]
Science................................................................... 1 unit
Electives of Secondary Grade.................................. 5 units

Since during the first three quarters of the century, the larger number of the Freshmen were received from the College Preparatory Department the scope and character of their preparation is best shown by a survey of the curriculum of the Preparatory Department at different periods:

Preparatory Studies.

1832.

Time: Not specified.
Subjects:
Aeneid and Bucolics of Virgil.
Cicero's Select Orations.
Caesar's Commentaries, 4 Books.
Jacobs' Greek Reader.
Colburn's Arithmetic and Algebra.
Gould's Adam's Latin Grammar.
Buttman's Greek Grammar.
English Grammar.
Geography.

1852

Time: Not specified.
Subjects:
Bullion's Latin and Greek Grammars.
Bullion's Latin and Greek Readers.
Bullion's Caesar.
Bullion's Cicero.
Sallust.
Higher Arithmetic.
Robinson's Algebra, University Edition.
Mitchell's Classical Geography.
Coleman's Biblical Geography.
Historical Portions of Old and New Testaments.

[Page 187]

1872.

Time: Two years.
Subjects:
Arithmetic…………………….………1/3 year
Algebra……………………………….2 years
Latin, Introduction…………….....…....2/3 year
Reader and Grammar………………....2/3 year
Caesar …………………………...…..2/3 year
Greek Grammar…….………………...1 1/3 years
Anabasis……………………………...1/3 year
English Grammar………………….......1/3 year
U. S. History………………………….1/3 year
Declamation and Composition………....2 years

1892.

Time: Two years.
Subjects:
Arithmetic……………………………..2/3 year
Algebra…………………………...…..1 year
Plane Geometry, (Books 1-5)….…...... 1/3 year
Latin Grammar and Reader……………2/3 year
Latin Composition……………………..1/3 year
Latin Grammar………………………...1/3 year
Caesar……………………………...…2/3 year
Virgil's Aeneid…………………….…...2/3 year
Cicero's Orations………………….…..1/3 year
The Anabasis…………………….……2/3 year
History of Greece and Rome…….….…2/3 year
History of England………………....….1/3 year
History of America……………….…....1/3 year
Civics…………………………...…….1/3 year
English Grammar……………………....1/3 year
Biology………………………………..1/3 year
Natural Philosophy…………………….1/3 year
Zoology……………………………….1/3 year
Physical Geography…………………....1/3 year

1912.

Time: Three years.
Subjects: Latin…………………………………….....................................4 units
[Page 188]
Grammar and Composition.Caesar's Commentaries, 4 Books.
Cicero, 4 Orations, and Composition.
Virgil, 4 Books.
Mathematics…………………………….......................................3 units
Algebra, 1 1/2 years.
Plane Geometry, 1 year.
Solid Geometry, 1 year.
English……………………………......................................……..4 units
Grammar and Composition, "College Entrance" Literature…..…….1 year
Rhetoric and Composition, Literature……………………........…..1 year
Composition Literature……….......................................................1 year
Memorizing and Recitation of Six Classical Selections from English Literature per year throughout the Course.
Science……………….………….................................................2 units
Physiology,……………………................................................…1/2 year
Physics………………..............................................……………1 year
Physical Geography…................................................…………...1/2 year
History ………………..............................................……………2 units
Greece and Rome……..............................................……………1 year
England……………...............................................……………..1/3 year
United States………………...............................................……..1/3 year
Civics…………………...............................................………….1/3 year

The Preparatory Department could not properly be classed as a secondary school. It possessed no identity. Its pupils lived, played, studied, and attended chapel with the college students. They were subject to the same discipline, the same appeals. For the most part, Preparatory subjects were taught by the departmental teacher of the College Department, and in his own classroom. For the most part, these classes were well taught, but with the primary object of getting the boy ready in the shortest time possible [Page 189] for doing the college subject of the department in question. The work was intensive, but not necessarily superficial. The student learned the valuable lesson of intensive application. The Preparatory course was admittedly narrow. It ventured to omit many things which the high school feels it a duty to incorporate, because of the certainty that the boy would have the opportunity to get them later on. Was the college freshman of former days better prepared for college than the present day high school graduate? As individuals no; as groups yes. The high schools are sending up many students better prepared than the best product of the Preparatory Department, but they are also sending up many others who in scholarship, mental discipline and attitude, are far inferior.

Until 1857 the Degree of Bachelor of Arts only was conferred, the requirement for which was the completion of the rigidly prescribed four years' classical course of study. For several years a certificate was issued to those who had completed the three years' scientific course, but it was regarded as an inferior degree. In the later years this course was strengthened, and from that date as long as conferred it was theoretically on a parity with the arts degree. Since 1912 only the degree of Bachelor of Arts is conferred regularly.

In the first years of the College, the regulations required the student to carry twenty "hours" per week; that is, an amount of work which required twenty recitations per week. This load later was reduced. From 1889 to 1906 the regular student load was fifteen "hours" per week, or a total of 180 for graduation, physical education and Bible study being considered as extracurricular. Since 1906 the regular load is sixteen hours per week, or a total of 192 for graduation, inclusive of twelve hours of English Bible, [Page 190] but not including two years of required physical education.

A significant feature of the administration of the curriculum of any institution is the disposition made of special and irregular students. This part of our story is told from the catalogues: (1841) "Those who do not propose to pursue a full college course are allowed to attend such studies as they desire, either in the Preparatory Department, or as University students in any of the regular classes of the College." (1874) "Irregular or Eclectic Courses will be allowed under the curriculum, provided they do not require hours of recitation additional to those of the regular courses." (1896) "In exceptional cases, and for plainly sufficient reasons, special or Eclectic Courses are allowed; but the number and character of the studies must be subject to the approval of the Faculty." (1926) "Students who are not candidates for a degree may pursue special courses, subject to the following conditions:

"1. The student must be prepared for admission to regular standing in the Freshman Class, or be not less than twenty-one years old.

"2. He must, in the judgment of the professor concerned, be prepared for the subject which he desires to pursue.

"3. His studies must aggregate not less than sixteen hours per week.

"4. He cannot pursue any studies beyond the Sophomore year unless he has satisfied the requirements for admission to the Freshman Class, except with special permission of the Faculty.

"5. All special students are held to the same accountability as regular students with regard to the quality of work, attendance upon classes and other college exercises, and the observance of college regulations.

[Page 191] "6. No student who has failed in a study will be permitted to change from 'regular' to 'special' classification until he has made up all work in which he has failed and secured the consent of the Faculty."

The requirements for graduation in 1926 have been stated in the discussion of the curriculum. Briefly they comprise, so far as subject matter, twelve hours of physical training considered as extra-curricular, and 192 hours of prepared work distributed as follows:

Introduction to College………………………………………..3 hours
A Foreign Language………………………………………….24 hours
Bible…………………………………………....……………12 hours
Mathematics…………………………………………………12 hours
English I……………………………………………………...12 hours
European History…………………………………………….12 hours
Economics and Sociology………………………………….....12 hours
A Physical Science…………………………………………...12 hours
A Biological Science……………………………………….....12 hours
Psychology, Logic, Ethics………………………………….....12 hours

The remaining 72 credits shall be offered in courses so chosen that the student at the time of graduation will have completed two full majors, as prescribed in the several departments of instruction. A major comprises from three to four years of continuous work in prescribed sequence in a particular subject.

Prior to 1912 the regulations provided that the student should achieve a mark of at least 'a or 6 on a scale of 10 in order to receive credit for a subject, with no restriction of the number of these minimum marks, thus making it possible for him to graduate with a general average scholarship of 5 or 6, whatever that might mean. In 1912 the Faculty directed that "The candidate for a degree shall sustain a general average of 8 on a scale of 10 in his course of study as a whole, not falling below 6 in any one." In 1922 the [Page 192] "point system" of grading was adopted. Term grades are reported on the following scale:

1. A, numerical value, 95-100; B, 85-94; C, 75-84; D, 60-74; F, (Failed) 0-59.
2. A grade of A earns 3 "points" per credit hour; B earns 2 "points"; C earns 1 "point." The student is required to earn a total of at least 16 "points" per term, that is, make an average grade of C. If he falls below this standard in any term credit is "deferred" in all subjects pursued by him that term.
3. Deferred credits may be redeemed:
(a) At the discretion of the instructor, by special examination. A fee of $2.00 is charged for each special examination.
(b) By superior work the succeeding two terms, thereby bringing the average of the three terms to C or better, or earning a total of 48 " points f or the three terms.
4. Deferred credits not redeemed within the above period are cancelled.

This system was restated as follows in 1924:

"l. The letters A, B. C, D, and F shall be used in grading.
"2. All grades of A, B, and C shall entitle the student to full credit.
"3. Grades of D shall not entitle the student to credit unless his average including D's shall be C. Deficiencies in average must be made up within a year. Not more than twelve grades of D may be counted towards graduation regardless of average."

The honorary degrees of Master of Arts, Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Divinity, Doctor of Laws, and Doctor of Letters, were granted from the beginning of [Page 193] the corporate existence of the institution. For many years also some desultory effort was made to do graduate work. In 1896, "Candidates for the degree of A.M. are reported to the Board upon their ascertained or acknowledged merits," and "The degrees of Doctor of Philosophy Doctor of Literature, and Doctor of Science will be conferred, as in the past, upon teachers of known attainments, and persons engaged in special scientific pursuits, upon ascertained merits. At the same time, persons desiring to make application for these degrees may do so, and if it is thought expedient, courses of study, or theses, leading to these degrees, will be assigned. The degrees of D.D. and LL.D. are purely honorary." The culmination of this effort is seen in the provision stated in the 1914 catalogue:

"Graduate courses leading, to the degree of Master of Arts in course will be arranged for individual students subject to the following requirements:
"1. The applicant for the degree must be a graduate of this or another institution of equal standing
"2. He must do at least sixteen hours of resident work throughout one year.
"3. The work shall be in at least two different departments, and at least one-half of which shall be in the department in which the student selects to major. Not more than half the work may be done in undergraduate classes.
"4. He shall present a satisfactory thesis upon a subject assigned by the professor at the head of the department in which he shall have chosen to major.
"5. In addition to the regular college bills a diploma fee of $1O will be charged.
"The honorary degrees of Doctor of Divinity, Doctor of Laws, and Doctor of Letters are conferred by the Faculty by and with the approval of the Board of Trustees, under the conditions which prevail in the practice of the higher grade of institutions.

[Page 194] "The degrees of Master of Arts, and of Doctor of Philosophy are not granted except upon completion of such assignments of work as are approved by the Faculty."

In 1915 all pretense of graduate instruction was abandoned and the present practice adopted:

"The honorary degrees of Doctor of Divinity, Doctor of Laws, and Doctor of Letters are conferred by the Faculty by and with the approval of the Board of Trustees, under the conditions which prevail in the practice of the higher grade institutions.

"The degrees of Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy are not granted."


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