Wellesley College - Legenda Yearbook (Wellesley, MA)

Page 19 text:

Science is a vital part of the liberal education, and each person today should have a sense of its tremendous import- ance and potentialities. We have tapped the power of atomic energy, and for this if for no other reason, science has attained almost immeasurable significance. But it is the fervent belief of the liberal arts college that scientific skill is not sufficient to meet the ever-increasing problems of humanity. At the core of each man — and par- ticularly of each scientist — there must be a strong inner devotion, not only to power and law, but to goodness and beauty and truth in the highest sense. Without underestimating science, we must realize that while it wages war it cannot teach us peace, nor can it tell us of the nature of man — his concepts, his art, his poetry, his music — of all that gives him greatness. Many at Wellesley concentrate on science, planning to continue in scientific pursuits. It is hoped that their liberal education will enable them, not only to be capable scientists, but to envision science in the large perspective of man ' s destiny. 15

Page 21 text:

A liberal education brings us in contact with the outstanding works that men have produced through the ages. The beauty, the wisdom, the intrinsic value of these works is too great for them to remain unappreciated. But in addition to cherishing them for themselves, we must learn from them all we can of the past to use in the molding of the future, and from a common basis of man ' s great achievements, all men must arrive at a truer understanding of each other. These are, indeed, great aims. But if the aims of our edu- cation are not visionary, what hopes can we hold for the future? The present is, of necessity, concerned with specific, divergent issues. But the past — studied with the perspective that time gives — reveals to us, not the variety of issues, but the similarity, not the individuality of men, but their oneness. It is only the present seen with the past, in the light of man ' s reason, that can give us a hint to the meaning of things, and teach us the way to a better life. 17