Goucher College - Donnybrook Fair Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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Introducing . . .. PRESIDENT DAVID ALLAN ROBERTSON, A.B., LITT.D., LLD.

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rom One Soirele to Another Right: An old tradition thc walk to Hampton House. Below: President Robertson welcomes students at Convocation. Left: A. A. presents their skit at thc A11 College Party.

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President and Mrs. June, 1948, will mark the end of one of the most important periods in the growth of Goucher College; this is the date of the retirement of Dr. David Allan Robertson after eightccn ycars 0f lcadcrship and service, years during which Coucher has taken its place among the top- ranking wonrelfs colleges throughout the nation. Dr. Robertsonls experience in university ad- ministration previous to his acceptance of the presidency of Coucher College indicated that he would handle his job with wisdom and fore- sight. He was well-known among educators through his association with the University of Chicago and as Assistant Director of the Ameri- can Council of Education. He was unusually familiar not only with American institutions of higher education but with European universities and colleges as well. Under Dr. Robertson the school calendar was divided into three terms, a system modeled after the one used in the University of Chicago. Thc curriculum was rearranged to fulhll Eight Objec- tives, a set of principles formulated to encourage individual development by study in as many of the different fields of knowledge as possible. The Sophomore Generals, another innovation, were set up to test the student7s advancement toward the objectives before her entrance into her Junior year and major held of study. Dr. Robertson inly believes that the educational system must be sufficiently Hexible to meet the needs of the Right: The Robcrtsons relax at home. Robertson student. He inaugurated the election by guidance program in which the student is free to elect her own courscs under the guidance of her fresh- man advisor, then her major advisor. The raising of subscriptions for the building program and the planning of the new educa- tional site fell on the shoulders of Dr. Robertson, his faculty committee and the Board of Trustees. June, 1940, marked the breaking of ground for Mary Fisher Hall and the spring of 1947 the laying of the cornerstone for Residence Hall No. 2. T hough Dr. Robertson leaves before the entirc school is transplanted to its new home, it is a certainty that with all of the plans com- pleted, the twenty-year-old dream will soon be a reality. iiTo spend and be spent for Gaucher are words from the inaugural address of Dr. Robert- son, fifth president of Coucher College. There can be no doubt that this promise has been more than adequately fulElled. Dr. Robertson has presided over the college with dignity, distinc- tion and diplomacy. He and Mrs. Robertson have continually shown their great interest in the students by their attendance at all school func- tions. The gracious hospitality with which they received student and faculty guests at their home will not soon be forgotten. Dr. and Mrs. Robert- son will be remembered in the annals of Coucher College and in the hearts of all those associated with the school.