Brown University - Liber Brunensis Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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BELIEVING that the United States has been the leader of the contemporary art movement since the end of the Second World War, Gerald Needham de- cided to leave his native England for further study and employment in this country. Mr. Needham, who has been an instructor of art at Brown for three years, received his bachelor's degree from the Univer- sity of Nottingham in Great Britain and his master's from the Institute of Fine Arts in New York City. The father of two small children, Mr. Needham is married to an American Fulbright scholar who in her spare time serves as an editor for the Brown Univer- sity Press. An art historian specializing in the art of America and the art of the nineteenth century, Mr. Needham has enjoyed his experiences in the Brown art depart- ment, whose contemporary emphasis he finds lacking in the art departments of many other institutions. Because he feels that a lifetime on the lecture ros- trum could be a destroyer of personality, Mr. Need- ham keeps busy both in and outside of the classroom. As a sportsman, he has played for the Osterling Rugby Club near London and serves as a forward for the Brown Rugby Club; as a scholar, he is working toward his Ph.D. at the Institute of Fine Arts. Al though he has not yet published any major works in his own right, Mr. Needham views writing as part of his future plans. CLASS OF 1924, Professor of Music Arlan Coolidge looks forward to improvements in academic facilities for the fine arts comparable to the recent wide-scale construction for the sciences. A limited number of practice and rehearsal rooms and the startling lack of space for any large orchestral presentation on campus are some of the inadequacies. Mr. Coolidge feels that improved facilities will remind and encourage all stu- dents to maintain a balance among the academic dis- ciplines which is essential for a true liberal education by re-emphasizing the importance of the fine arts. It must be pointed out that even under present condi- tions Professor Coolidge teaches excellent courses in American Music and Music in the Classic-Romantic Era. Mr. Coolidge contributes actively to campus, com- munity, and regional organizations for the advance- ment of the fine arts. He is currently president of the Rhode Island Fine Arts Council and holds executive positions with several local musical organizations. A special honor accorded Professor Coolidge on the Brown campus is that of bearing the mace, symbol of the presidency, in commencement exercises. This honor is bestowed upon a senior member of the fac- ulty who is a graduate of Brown. Currently, Professor Coolidge is studying the prac- tically forgotten American composer, Harrison Mil- lard 1829-1895. Mr. Goolidge remarks that in his research he has uncovered many facets of Millard's life which relate closely to events in American his- tory. Rediscovery of such relations underlines the sig- nificance of a country's cultural and scientific history. Professor Coolidge states that failure to consider any aspect of history leads to an incomplete familiarity with the past. A humanist in and out of his scholarly garb, Professor Coolidge hopes that the community's general interest and participation in cultural affairs will flourish and enhance the intellectual atmosphere.

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TO LIKE AND DISLIKE one's job is the lot of most men; but to offer the same reason for both opinions is something else again. Robert O. Schulze, Dean of the College, has an unremit- ting sense of being caught up in the madness of things, which can both exhilarate and frustrate anyone. Dean Schulze gets the feeling that he is being spread so terribly thin all the time. What with the numerous important committees he is on, students streaming into his office all day, constant conferment with President Keeney, and the teaching of Sociology 1, 2, it is no won- der Mr. Schulze takes the attitude he does. Commenting on the wave of major and minor protests that annually sweep over Brown and other university campuses, Dean Schulze says, Students do not properly appreciate the com- plexity of things or the human frailty of things. He wholeheartedly supports Dr. Keeney's advice given this fall to the junior class, Be kind to your deans. Mr. Schulze en- courages the students to use the deanery as the proper liaison between students and the Presi- dent and the Corporation. He thinks that un- dergraduates should neither be uncritical nor accentuate the positive. It is most important that students not get so bugged about things that disturb them that they do not try to take advantage of opportunities that exist. It is far better to spend one's time thinking about what to say to a professor than to complain that he is inaccessible. Early this fall, Dean Schulze said that he had second thoughts on the housing committee re- port of 1962 and, in fact, housing policy for the last decade. Then, in November, Mr. Schulze's committee decided to re-examine the 1962 report on fraternities and begin concrete exploration of the plans for a new, large under- graduate housing unit. A progressive in this area of university life, he claims to be old-fashioned when it comes to the goals of a college curricu- lum. Dean Schulze worries about over-speciali- zation and over-professionalism in what has been an essentially liberal arts college. He likes a curriculum that forces students to explore broadly and to develop an ability to question, to make sense out of life. Mr. Schulze will find, if he does not already know, that the majority of the student body agrees with his philosophy and attitudes, and they wish him continued suc- cess in his battles within and outside the walls of University Hall.

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POPULAR AND EFFECTIVE with his students, Assistant Pro- tessor S. Paul Kashap brings to Brown a highly diversified educa- tional background and two years of teaching experience. Born in India, Mr. Kashap received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degree from the University of Bombay. He then attended the University of Edinburgh where he completed the four year course for the honors degree of Master of Arts in two years. He completed his education at Oxford and received the degree of Bachelor of Letters, an equivalent of the American Doctor of Philosophy. Mr. Kashap came to this country in 1961 and taught for a short time at Brown before joining the Wheaton College philosophy department. He returned to Brown as an assistant professor in 1963. His courses this year included a graduate seminar on Liebnitz, a course in ancient and medieval philosophy, and a course on the philosophy of religion. His lectures are notable for their careful preparation and for his willingness to discuss fully any questions brought up by his students. As a scholar Professor Kashap is particularly interested in meta- physics, logico-linguistic analysis, and moral philosophy. He has published one article in Analysis, and another one will appear shortly. Currently he is also working on the general outlines of a book on Spinoza's moral theory. Although there is no pressure on him from the department to do research, Professor Kashap finds it impossible to imagine not being working on some problem. He says that pressure for research comes from the individual himself if he is truly interested in his field of study. As his students can attest Professor Kashap combines excellent teaching ability with a vital interest in his subject. 2 PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE is the special field of Assistant Professor Jaegwon Kim of the philosophy department. A graduate of Dartmouth, Professor Kim received his doctorate from Princeton and taught at Swarthmore before coming to Brown three years ago. He is presently teaching a course in the philosophy of science and in symbolic logic. Considered a stimulating, even inspirational teach- er, Mr. Kim enjoys teaching both graduate and undergraduate students. This department has excel- lent graduate students, and it is possible to establish a professional rapport with them. As for undergrad- uates, he finds teaching them to be exciting. He feels that in some cases he can have an important influence on them in a way that is impossible with graduate students. Professor Kim has published about six scholarly pa- pers in his specialty. In his course on the philosophy of science and in his papers he examines concepts in science which are open to philosophical investigation. Such concepts as causation and explanation are ex- amined; other main questions have to do with the scientific method. Scientific ideas are considered with reference to philosophical theories of knowledge and metaphysics. Currently he is examining the mind- body problem. The combination of high general standards, an ex- cellent philosophy department, and a relaxed atmos- phere makes Brown attractive to Professor Kim. He enjoys teaching and studying here, and in just three years he has gained the admiration and respect of his students and colleagues.