Harvard University - Red Book Yearbook (Cambridge, MA)

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'Manx Nu Higher Education Than What? the daily Crimson Notice Column. Some years ago, a study of- American Col- leges made by Oxford University concluded that Harvard College rated first in forty of forty-one departments of study. Since that time, many Colleges and Universities in this coun- try have made long strides forward in many fields, but it is still safe to say that the College stands at the top or very near it in all academic disciplines. For us this means that none of our interests, no matter how peculiar, will lack support here: and further, we will rub ideas with classmates who, lured here by different aspects of the curriculum than drew us, will hold opinions and interests different from ours. There are plenty of second hand ideas here, but there are also some first hand ones, ideas generated by the friction of intercourse, fine ideas, which, if we can distinguish them, are ours to explore and develop. A glance at the daily Notice Column in the Crimson shows Leagues mobilized to preserve and advance every known and many unknown ideas, forms of art, political notions, religious beliefs, games, and you-name-it. This prolific variety of ideas and interests, paradoxically enough, has caused apathy to be nubbed to the name of Harvard. More than a few times we will hear our class-mates deride the College as apathetic. This is the ranking misnomer of the decade. At first glance, we undoubtedly do manifest a more or less striking lack of collective spirit. We have no cheering section at football games, and would probably break no eardrums if we did. The College spirit toward football was quite sharply depicted in the remark of a freshman made after the Army debacle. As he meandered slowly from the stadium, his girl on his arm, he was heard to say, Wel1, there is one nice thing about it. It is our Army any- way. ln the same tone, none of us would rise in angry protest if someone remarked that Yale's campus is prettier than ours: mass meet- ings for the whole student body as often go unattended as not: activities in our dorms,- and in the Houses,--rarely have the character of unified enthusiasm. But, on the other hand, it is difficult to think of another college in the country where the diversity in intensity and direction of individual interests is so extreme. Sports, religions, aca- demic groups and social functions enlist an extraordinary number of enthusiastic and con- tributing participants from every corner in the College. Politically, the student body organizes itself, year after year, into a fantastic network of organizations, each one checked and bal- anced by at least-two others, each one a locus of interest and activity and energy. Which end of the dichotomy shall we call apathy and which enthusiasm? Among the more organized derivatives of our apathy, nine publications, a radio station, ConHnued on Page 702

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ff, ,, ,. i . - FI, . if ,,. 4 1 . , - - 1, 'va' L Ml ' -.--,-, Mr 3 President Iames Bryant Conant '. . . I therefore express the hope that Harvard may be for each of you cz center of fruitful controversy and discussion. To the extent that my hope is realized, this community of scholars will be contributing its share to the spiritual welfare and prosperity of this nation. -- from his welcoming address, Sept. 27, 1949. 12 A