One day in March, 1903, a junior in the College of Engineering came to me to make up an entrance condition which, on account of an oversight, still stood against him on the books of the University. Under the rules regulating entrance, he was permitted to offer, among other things, a semester's work in American Government. This he chose to do. A few inquiries directed to the young man brought out the fact that he had once had a short high school course in what we still designate by that inane term “Civics,” the worst faded out word in our educational terminology. Aside from this brief course of instruction, his information regarding American Government had been gleaned from reading one or two of the most elementary text-books on the subject, from the dailies, from an occasional article in some magazine, from common conversation and from participation in two elections.

This being the situation the following five simple questions were jotted down and submitted to him as a test:

I. Explain how members of Congress are chosen and state what you know about their terms, qualifications and compensation.

II. Write a brief account of the federal courts. What does the Constitution provide in regard to the establishment of a system of United States courts?

III. Describe clearly the process by which the Constitution of the United States may be amended. How may it be interpreted?

IV. Outline the government of a county in your state.

V. What is meant by the New England plan of township government?