Davidson College - Quips and Cranks Yearbook (Davidson, NC)

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Biology seeks to increase man ' s understanding of man and of other forms of life about him and, there- by, possibly to enhance his chance of survival in an environment that tends to offer few second oppor- tunities. E. E. Brown BIOLOGY Daggy, Puckett, Brown. Lammers. Martin, Fredericksen. Bryan, Logan, Gable, Gallent. CHEMISTRY A truly educated person should be able to appreciate creativity whenever he finds it whether it be in science or in the arts. Just as the musician creates a melody with sound or as the artist creates a painting from color and lines, the chemist enjoys this same sense of creativity using only a few ele- mentary building stones. Millions of substances have been prepared and the utimate number are limited only by his imagination. His ulti- mate creative goal has been the synthesis of something worthwhile. So successful have been his efforts a new synthtic kingdom has joined those of the animal, vegetable and mineral. J. M. Fredericksen [20]

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BUSINESS ECONOMICS Kiist, whiit I commiii ' s riiiiiinl do: it rHtiMot ti ' iic-h om- how to bulunrr his liud)ri ' t or how to makv a fast buck ! Kconomii-s is a social scienci ' . To understand what economics cmi do, it is necessary to distinguish the social sciences from the physical (and natural) sciences. The latter can only teach one to understand the laws of nature. The formei teach one both tti niHlirstaiKt and to chtniyv the laws of society. They must show not only what is, liut also what ought to be. Economics can give one an under- standinir of hew the capitalist economy currently functions and an intellectual and philosophical basis for deciding what institu- tional changes should be made. Ernest F . I ' atterson PSYCHOLOGY The program in psychology is designed to confront the student in three areas, listed here in order of increasing importance. First, there is the effort to equip the student for greater self-control and personal and social efficiency. Second, there is the attempt to broaden and deepen culture by ac- quainting the student with a body of knowledge. Third, and most important, there is the objective of inculcating a de- sire and an ability to examine hu- man nature by the methods of natural science. This last is stressed as the surest foundation for con- tinuing increase in psychological understanding after college courses have been completed. W. ;. Workniiiii U iibhcn. Kalliff. I ' alKTMi (.riffiii. l.iiidvcN. OsHall, orkman. Hurl [19]

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I ' ietenpol. .MiKai-, hite, Krvi-, Hopkins. StudontH considerinK physics as a pussihlc cureer hHouM remember that it is nut enough simply to like a subjec-t because it has u fine fu- ture or that it is a (triamorous pro- fession. It is training in precise and logical thinking and has cul- tural value in its ol)ser ' ance of law and order in the world. I ' hysics has iK ' Come an extensive science with many special fields and at the same time is playing an important part in the new frontier professions such as biophysics, health physics, radiation biolojcy, radiation physics anil space science. To become a good physicist re- quires ability, interest and applica- tion. The (t ' Patest attraction for physics is that as a profession it is KrowinK rapidly, the field is far from overcrowded, and that many questions remain unanswered. John I. Hopkins PHYSICS MATHEMATICS The increasing contribution of mathematics to the culture of the modern world, coupled with its vital role in scientific discovery and humanistic education, has made this subject one of dynamic importance in the liberal arts school as well as in the technical institution. .■V mathematics department can- not be all things to all people, but it must strive to challenge and train the student who wishes to continue the study of pure mathematics; it must furnish at least the basic tools needed by the physicist, the engi- neer, the chemist, the statistician, the economist, and the scholars in other disciplines that are depend- ing more and more on the mathe- matical approach: it must attempt to give the non-technical mind some appreciation of this hand-maid of the sciences in order to keep this mind from being scientifically il- literate. Davidson ' s department must keep all of these objectives in mind. As the scope of mathematics expands and teaching methods change, the department strives continually to alter and improve course offerings. William G. McGavock Stroud. Jackson, Mebane, McGavock. Hernard. ot pictured, Kimbrough. [21]