THE HONOR SYSTEM.
For eighteen years after the opening of the institution, written examinations
were conducted under the surveillance of a committee of three
professors. This was not altogether satisfactory, and in June, 1842, Judge
Henry St. George Tucker, Professor of Law, offered the following resolution,
which the Faculty at once adopted:
Resolved, That in all future written examinations for distinction and other
honors of the University, each candidate shall attach to the written answers
presented by him on such examination a certificate in the following words:
"I, A. B., do hereby certify, on honor, that I have derived no assistance during
the time of this examination from any source whatever, whether oral, written,
or in print, in giving the above answers."
This was the beginning of the honor system at this institution, and it
has been in operation ever since without interruption. Later the pledge
was extended so as to preclude the giving as well as the receiving of assistance.
Still more recently the scope of the honor system has been enlarged
so as to cover other phases of student conduct. Its administration
is entirely in the hands of the students, the essence of the system being
that the violation of a student's word of honor is an offense not against
the university authorities, but against the whole student body, and on the
rare occasions on which it has occurred, the students themselves have
quietly and promptly sent the offender away from the University without
need of faculty action.
Examinations are required to be held in one place and in the presence
of the professor in charge of the course or one of his assistants. These
regulations in no way conflict with the spirit of the honor system, but
are regarded as being necessary to give a proper dignity and formality to
the occasion.
