Princeton University - Bric A Brac Yearbook (Princeton, NJ)

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Professors E. Peressutti. R. W. McLaughlin. Jr. Director, V. 01g av. School of Architecture Professor E. D. H. Johnson, Department oj English Professors P. H. Ashhy, R. P. Ramsey. G. F. Thomas, Chairman, Department oj Religion

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I ' lul,— u,- .1. I. Ann-ln.iif:. F. C Ihiuiiu-. Ilfiiurtnwfil ol Classics What. we are often asked these days, is the practi- cal value of the humanities ' ? ' To one who is totally com- mitted to goals of cash or power, perhaps the answer must he None. It is none except to show, as suggested above, the inadequacy of such goals for a human life. Still the prospective salesman or business executive has his leisure to worry about, and Time magazine? Or will he make his leisure into opportunities for reflection and discovery? The future banker, doctor, lawyer will be dealing with human beings, and often too he will be in- volved by his profession in complex social situations. Will he rely on technical know-how to thrust his way to success, or will he also want to bring to his work a broad and deep awareness of human needs and aspira- Pniff n, W.J. (.lal.-. ( linirtiian. Department oi Classics Profe oi!; K. ViVilzniann. (I. RuHlt-y. 11. D. Eg hfit. Department oi Art anil Ari haeology mum 19

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Professors G. E. Duckworth, J. V. A. Fine, P. R. Coleman- Norton, R. F. Golieen, Department of (Classics tions? Finally, and in 1954-55 these are practical quest- ions, shall we put the nation s stakes mainly on develop- ing sources of nuclear and economic strength, and com- mit ourselves also with the means of dealing intelligently and responsiblv with aspirations and attitudes of other peoples whose patterns of thought differ from those nearest to us in time and place? The answers the human- ities must offer to each of these sets of questions are the difficult answers. They are not therefore the less practi- cal, if. as is right, practicality is measured in terms of of the end. This is the real issue: what is education to he practical for. what is the objective? Humanistic studies exhibit all man ' s many limitations: withal, they hold up as the goal for striving a vital, con- scious existence accordant with the highest aspirations of the human spirit. Justice, courage, self-control: truth, beauty, creativity, freedom; love as mutual understand- ing and as mutual responsibility: education which as- pires to a realization of lesser qualities is that which has curbed its practical potential. Princeton aims higher and with lontt-ranged sense of ijraclicalitN . Professors E. SjoqvisI, W. F. .Stohliiiun. Ucparlmcnl oj Art and Archaeology; Professor F. F, A. Coinstock, School of Architecture 21