Haverford College - Record Yearbook (Haverford, PA)

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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

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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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From recession to fruition : The funniest thing happened to Ho Hunter on the wav to Vladivostok. ECONOMICS From the clouded (cigarette smoke) summit of Mt. Whitall, the gods oF the renovated Eco- nomics department have guided their underlings through the analyses of What, How, and For Whom. This year, the task of developing the stu- dent cycle from recession to fruition was led with- out the thundering policies of Zeus Teaf, who shifted his demands to alumni campaign-contribu- tors. In assuming the duties of acting chairman, Ho Hunter, ' 43; I. Succeeded in leading the department A. To new worries about comps. II. Broke his own speed record A. For the twentieth successive year B. In climbing the Whitall stairs. III. Enlivened his Soviet System course A. With marginal contortions. If will was missing, the department neverthe- less gained new inspiration with the return of Phil Bell from the University of California and with the addition of Gene Smolensky from the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania. Phil, also known as The Crusher, became famous on the campus due to his crusades for babies and IBM ' s. He will be most remembered by Economics 81 veterans for his hover- ing guidance at Provident Mutal, the surprise final, and his casual manner in bumming cigarettes from us. Pipe smoking Gene added to the color of the department as any student in his Introductory, Monev and Banking, or Labor courses will attest. Sample: So thus the MC curve intersects the AC curve at the price line, right? (pause) Wrong!! (class shifts uneasily in chairs). A cred- it to the department lies in the challenging prob- lems which still plague its students: has Bell ever done less than 48 hours work in a day? ... is Smolensky really so excited about Economics that he can never sit down during a class? . . . does Hunter ever fail to answer a question without quoting a dozen references? Research on all of these problems continues. Page 18