748 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY
books as late as twenty-five, and in some cases they are study- ing even at thirty. Statisticians have shown that the age of graduation from college into professional or business positions is being raised constantly as the years go by. The courses in all grades of schools are being made harder from decade to decade ; the examinations for entrance to college are growing stiffer all the time ; the requirements for entering upon one's life-work are made more exacting each year; and as a result many young men are not beginning to help themselves until the race is half run. And as a corrective it is urged that we cut down the college course at least by one-fourth ; and it is even suggested that we grant the bachelor's degree at the completion of two years of study. This will enable boys to get into business earlier ; if they engage in mercantile pursuits, or if they desire to prepare themselves for the professions, they can in any event save a couple of years by this arrangement. This plan in a moderate form has already been in operation in a few of the universities for some time, for there may be finished in six years the regu- lar college course and a professional course, which together required seven years for completion heretofore, thus practically shortening the scholastic period by one year.
It should be emphasized that the considerations urged in favor of curtailing the educational period are strictly practical, perhaps one might say financial, and they take account only of the affairs of the individual and ignore the needs of the society of which he is a member. It is represented that boys do not become self-supporting early enough ; but, so far as I have been able to ascertain, no one has shown, or has even thought it necessary to show, that from the standpoint of the community there is a demand for more men in the professions or in busi- ness, which could be supplied if young men would only get started earlier. If one may place any faith in popular belief, there is an overcrowded condition in every profession now; law and medicine and teaching arid engineering and commerce have all the men, such as they are, that can be employed, so that there is, as a matter of fact, no call for boys to get under way
