City College of New York - Microcosm Yearbook (New York, NY)

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incut could gather together the persons who were to he instructed, peace rumors were current, preparations were held in abeyance, and finally, at the signing of the Armistice, the whole matter was dropped. In co-operation with the Vocational Division of the College the Alliance Francaisc conducted courses in spoken French in tile various armories throughout the city. These courses were designed to give the men of the regiments a s| cakiiig knowledge of French within the short time preceding their orders to sail. Professor Downer, who is also President of the Alliance Francaise in New York, took a personal interest in the matter and taught two of the courses himself. Me also prepared for the National Security league a handy volume for the instruction of soldiers in French. Our college was one of the charter mcmliers of the American University Union in Europe. This organi- zation established the Union houses in Paris, and later one in I-ondon. Here, among other American colleges, it found a simple club and home. In the Union houses were established information bureaus which kept the ones at home informed concerning the others “over there.” The College participated in every conceivable war activity. Though we shall probably never have correct statistics concerning the numbers of men from the College who entered active service, the figures given out at the time of the Alumni Dinner may Ik of interest. Of students leaving courses at the College conducted by the Day Session, the Evening Session and the Vocational Division to enter the Army and Navy active service, there were 1.779. The Alumni in active service were 956. The Faculty in active service were 37. The students en- listed and in training at the College at the time of demobilization were 1.927. making a grand total for the whole College in active service, so far as we can learn up to date. 4.701. Besides these there were many students. Facul- ty members, and Alumni who served with the Y. M. C. A., with the Jewish Welfare Board, and the Knights of Columbus and smaller organizations, and many others dropped from ordinary pursuits to take up technical or professional work directly related to the demands of the war. AW shall not attempt here to give a rc| ort con- cerning those killed, those wounded and those who received decorations. This information cannot be given out before the complete returns arc at hand. Of course we cannot close the account of the College in the tcur without some reference to the work of our Alumnus and Trustee. Mr. Bernard M. Baruch, of the War Industries Board. So also arc we proud of the work of our President, Sidney E. Mezes, as chief of the Board of Experts of the Peace Commission. Five members of our Faculty. Professors Stephen Pierce Duggan. I-ewis Freeman Molt, Nelson P. Mead. William Bradley Otis, and Justin Hartley Moore, left this country only last Spring to take up work with the Army Uni- versity in France. I.ikc America as a whole, the American colleges in general and our College in particular took up the challenge of war. conducted themselves heroically and effectively for the duration of the war. and then, when the war was over, set aside those things which were military and quietly rc«urncd to the task of making democracy fit to survive in the world. 16

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Site (JnUrijr nf thp fflittj of Nnit $nrk P.EKNAKD M. HaRUCII Frederick P. Bellamy Lee Koiins iHiutrh nf tTrunlrra George McAnkny. Chairman. James W. Hyde, Secretary. William F. McCombs An king S. Phai.i. Moses J. Str x ck 18 Charles K. I.ydkcker Charles H. Tuttle