Vacation Work
SER,—I should like to comment on Dr. Wolfenden's article Vacation Work in connection with its significance in the educational systems of the U.S. and Canada. The studies of a North American student are a great contrast indeed to the idea that "terms exist so that tutors can tell their pupils what to study during the vacation." He studied a series of courses under relatively close supervision and on Which he is examined piecemeal. This system appears to be more readily adapted
,to the custom of vacation work. From my experience the standard of scholarship of a Ph.D. graduate of a North Ainerican university, trained under this system, bears very close comparison with that of an English graduate.
The North American graduate appears to me to have advantages from having "worked his way" in that he is often better educated in the ways of the world and is more accustomed to meeting and work- ing with a wide variety of pedple. As an English graduate I have felt, whilst over here, that this is experience which I lacked. To put this matter more in perspective, I should add that the courses for a Ph.D. take longer here than in England. and therefore the newly fledged graduate is necessarily more mature. It would not, however, be fair to say that the courses take longer because of the custom of vacation work. Also there is possibly a more pronounced emphasis on the economic independence of the young adult from his family than is the case in England.—Yours faithfully, P. J. DYNE.
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California.
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