Haverford College - Record Yearbook (Haverford, PA)

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Our clan of tidy urganic chemists . The Chcmtune 5 minus 1 with guest artist Hudak on the two litre pot. CHEMISTRY With agents from the Signal Corps hot on his trail demanding free radicals or double their money back (an admittedly confusing demand), Robert Walter took flight for Columbia this fall, allegedly to do some theoretical organic chemis- try and to plan a new freshman course (the fourth in four years) but he actually went to confuse the federal men long enough for him to finish his research. Substituting for him was Norman Hudak, who came from Oberlin to teach Qual. Organic, to continue his research into the structure of longi- folene, and to become embroiled in Haverford ' s faculty committee system. He was a perfect addi- tion to Haverford ' s clan of tidy organic chemists. To a visitor, the basement lab always appears un- used, ts benches clear, the single rows of alpha- betically ordered solvents on the shelves, the hoods empty. The only disturbance this year was a two litre pot (Hudak ' s), refluxing gently, a murmur- ing testimony to the mysteries of the longifolcne. The second floor lab was quite a different story. There students did their best to maximize entropy while Dr. Dunathan, despairing of keep- ing track of his minute quantities of cyclobutadiene derivatives, threatened to sweep everything left on the benches into the sink. Dean Cadbury spent much time in the more general field of education, while Russell Williams continued his study of the reactions of carbon rad- icals. The Williams family was well represented this year, as Mr. Williams was no less common a sight than his son Stevie, who was present nearly every afternoon, usually with Colin MacKay, whom he knew was a soft touch for chemicals. This year the two joined forces to stage the after noon parties which had formcrlv been sponsored by Mr. MacKay alone. And this year Stevie ' s birthday was added to the usual Christmas and St. Patrick ' s Day celebrations. Dr. McKay is owed a vote of thanks for the long time stolen from the study of carbon radicals and teaching of quantum mechanics and devoted to efficient production of coffee. Page 16

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Opening night at the scientific drama : Dr. Santer raises the curtain on Act I of the Citric Acid Cycle. BIOLOGY The biology laboratory is the main habitat of Professors Loewy, Santer, and Finger. Each thrives in his peculiar microbial world observing with gusto the antics of gamma-globulin, sulfur bacteria, and Paramecium, respectively. Between labs all ladle out courses to the student, who finds a unic|uc challenge with each man. Dr. Loewy is on Sabbatical this year in California. Rumor has it that he is being cast for the star role in the forthcoming mo ie thriller, I Made Goli i Bodiea For Fun mid Profit. Of all three men, he is most likely to combine philosophy and biology: in his evolution course he comments upon the relation- ship between a Padre and a lungfish as well as on the ethical implications consequent to the Big Bang. In very- dramatic fashion. Dr. Santer will ha e you on the edge of your seat as he describes vi idly a scientific drama in which penicillin is the pro- tagonist, foiling by its very presence the leftist organization of a cell wall in bacteria. A stockpile of information, he ' s probably the only man alive who can recite at any given moment the functitm of e ' eiy electron indigenous to the citric acid cvcle. Those who pass the required penmanship speed test may be enrolled in courses taught by the swift- ly-speaking Dr. Finger, of Class Night mention. Cenetically oriented, he pro ides a host of possi- ble explanations for red-headed students who are sons of blond parents. Believing strongly in that catchy adage, People in Science are Human , Dr. Finger drives a Triumph sports car and can be recognized anytime in a group by his English- cut tweed sportcoat. Replacing Dr. Lowey this year is Mrs. Santer who taught Biology 13. Mrs. Green has her own projects and comes in contact with students as an ever-present help for those in the formidible embryology course, a new device of natural selec- tion brought up from the Carnegie Institute by Drs. DeHaar and Ebert. Acting quartermaster and strongman in the biology department is smiling Ed Butler. And those two girls running around the labs, cooking hot dogs and coffee are Carol and Lida, lab assistants who provide pleasant conversation to all senior majors, a factor which makes biology at Haverford a most sought-after subject. Page 15

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CLASSICS The Classics department at Havcrford is an enigma. But there is no reason why it should re- main draped in obscurity. Such is not our intention. And perhaps we are not solely to blame; we do not know. But let ' s get one thing straight. Liberal- ism and tolerance doubtless apply to the French department. Classics (a singular noun with plural termination, like Pericles ) is a different matter. We ask no quarter, we gi c none. A man is ranged either among the sheep or the goats. A student of the Classics is not pleased if you say: The studv of dead languages is important, surely, but will thcv help vou in real life? He is offended. Ultim.itely, he will try to forget you. It is a sober- ing thought. Perhaps some think we are humour- less. This is a mistake. The delightful antics of the Emperor Elagabalus (better known to some as Heliogabalus ) will raise a dusty chuckle at any convocation of Latinists. Another unhappy mis- conception about Classicists, dating from eighteen- th-century England, is that they sit in tiny cubi- cles reading shredded manuscripts by candlelight and consuming quantities of port wine. Now, can you imagine anything so sillv? Needless to say, our public image, as is pur- ported, has been contorted out of all proportion. Finally we are supposed to be out of touch with reality. It is probable that this prejudice has arisen from the fact that Thales, a pre-socratic philosopher, is reported to ha e fallen into a well while gazing at the stars. Let it be frankly stated that we do not like Thales anv more than you do. Besides, he wasn ' t even a Greek. He was born in Asia Minor. A last word about our department: we are few, but dedicated, anxious to be amenable, but in- fused with a seriousness of purpose which demands that we do not betray our convictions; not insensi- tive, but morally secure. And wc extend a hand to those Lazari who care to better their condition. Is reported to have fallen into a well while gazing at the stars. Page 17