KinSource - Tale of the Week - Say They Must Crib

KinSource

Minnesota Tales

The Minneapolis Tribune, December 24, 1893, p. 2

SAY THEY MUST CRIB

REASONS GIVEN BY STUDENTS FOR CRIBBING AT CLASS.

Recent Developments by THE TRIBUNE in Regard to the Matter Have Created a Sensation at the University - The Names of Four Young Men in the Medical Department Sent to the Regents for Indefinite Suspension - President Northrop on the Matter.

The cribbing trouble which has been brewing in the medical department of the University for the past two weeks, the story of which was exclusively given by The TRIBUNE last Monday, has at length culminated much more seriously than could have been predicted. Students claim that owing to the severity of the tests in that department it is absolutely necessary to cheat in order to get passing marks. Nevertheless, the faculty is determined to stop the practice or shut up shop. The examination papers of a week ago were thrown out for the entire freshman class, and now four young men of the senior class are suspended by the faculty awaiting the action of the board of regents for absolute expulsion. The names of the men are reported as Tenney, Bjelland, Dollabar, and Sorkness. The charge against them is that two of the boys were really not present at the examination, being at home sick, and the other two wishing to do a favor to their friends, duplicated their own papers and handed them in with the names of the other men signed thereto.

President Northrop was asked in regard to the matter and said: "It is a fact that the names of four young men of the medical department have been sent in to the regents for indefinite suspension on the charge of cheating in examinations. I feel sure that the regents will consider the offense grave enough to warrant expulsion of the men, especially as they have confessed their guilt. Cheating in a medical school is even a more serious matter than in any of the other departments. When the men graduate there they will be given the care of human life, and they are thus reasonably to be required to know what they are doing. The action of the medical faculty was entirely without their authority."

The matter will come before the regents at their meeting in St. Paul next Wednesday, when, also, another question concerning the medical department will be considered. It has long been proposed to extend the course in regular medicine from three to four years, awaiting only the time when the enrollment would justify the action. It is believed that the time has now come, and such action will no doubt be taken by the regents. This will not, of course, affect the present senior class as a class, but it will be a splendid reason for plucking as many as possible by the faculty in order that there may be some seniors next year to graduate. The members of the class will thus be kept in constant fear and trembling until the final day in June when they hear whether they are to receive their diploma or not. Incidentally the product of the college will hereafter be 25 per cent stronger than formerly.