Word: honorability
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...Class of '82 have already brought honor to the College; so far they have shown themselves gentlemen, and there is no reason to believe that they would indulge in any rush if admitted to the Tree. They should be allowed there on equal terms with the other classes; and this right would be appreciated and appropriately regarded by them...
...might do so under the present system; and if the objection is made that there are men who are willing to perjure themselves even in public, yet it must be remembered that the College can adopt no system under which reliance is not placed to some extent upon undergraduate honor...
...certainly true that the value of honors is somewhat lowered; but it is not easy to appreciate the writer's reason for considering this an evil, - that the Harvard honors will degenerate to the level of the numerous prizes of "small-sized colleges." Even if this were true, it would be a valid objection only if the purpose of honors were to furnish a subject for undergraduate boast; but, as a fact, they have a definite and much more sensible work to do, - they are intended to furnish inducements to study. And the question is not whether the new honors...
...will, under the new system, have "less instigation" to work. This objection might have some show of plausibility if the standard of requirements for parts were lowered, and nothing more done. But by the new system new inducements to work have been offered to these men, - the new grades, "honorable mention" and magna cum laude, have been established, and summa cum laude, an honor which heretofore has had very nearly no effect at all, will now influence the work of perhaps seven men. So, instead of giving less encouragement, the College offers stronger inducements to study...
...asserted that these men will be encouraged to take "soft" electives and to work for marks. This, apparently, is the only sound objection that has been offered; but the writer does not seem to realize that this is an evil, not of the new system merely, but of any honor-system whatever. So long as honors are offered men are likely to neglect their real gain in working for them. It must be borne in mind that an honor-system necessarily starts with the supposition that its inevitable bad results, such as studying for marks, will be counterbalanced...