Williams College - Gulielmensian Yearbook (Williamstown, MA)

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1901 TO 19 'FYLEH DENNETT 1934 - 1987 The ninth president of VVilliams College, 'l'yler Dennett will long be remembered for his courageous leadership and in his revolutionary policies in an endeavor to establish NVillia1ns as one of the leading colleges in the country. Among his important achievements was the installation ot the Honors plan, whereby a student interested in one aspect of studies could pursue his interest beyond the extent ol' the courses offered. The cut system was also modified, allowing more leniency for the students in their class atten- dance. One of the most startling changes during Dr,-nnett's administration was that of requiring comprehensive exams to be taken by all seniors not taking Honors. As can he seen by the changes in curriculum, Mr. Dennett was very concerned over the reputation that yVilliams had been acquiring in the early thirties of being a country club, and most of his time and work was devoted to erasing this reputation. Among other innovations during the Dennett administration was the abolishment of compulsory attendance to daily chapel. Tyler Dennett was not only an able administrator but also an out- standing scholar, being awarded the Pulitzer prize lor his biography, john Huy. JAMES PI-IINNEY BAXTER, III 1937- President Baxter has been faced with more difficult problems than any of his predecessors. Sensing a gradual stagnation of the curricululn, he instituted in 1938 a system of comprehensive major examinations, which were originally conceived during the Dennett administration. VVith the out- break of the Second NVorld NVar, the Navy V-5 and V-12 programs were instituted in early 1943. Under the accelerated system the college year was divided into three sixteen week terms, beginning in July, November, and February. At the end of the problem of temporarily field Club Every und Memorial Theater constructed in 19411. The following year the NVilliams football team under Charlie Caldwell defeated Princeton. Now, in 1951, with the problem of the draft facing NVar, the Administration was confronted with the reconverting to a pre-war basis. Greyloek Hall was given over to the married veterans, and the Gar- and Fraternities were not reopened until 1946. ergraduatc may look with pride at the Adams the students, it is, indeed, fortunate that a man of President Baxter's ability can guide the undergraduate body. Aside from his administrative abilities, President Baxter is well known as an author, having written The Introduction of the Imnclacl Warship and Scientists Against Time, the lat- ter receiving the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1947. Page 9

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WILLIAMS COLLEGE IJRIESIDENTS ,HENRY HOPKINS 1902 - 1908 Under the leadership of president Henry Hopkins, WVil- liams College made considerable gains between the years 1902 and 1908. Among the achievements of his administration was the completion in 1904 of the Thompson Memorial Chapel. President Hopkins, a former minister in a small mid-western parish, considered the dedication of this chapel to be the most important cvcnt of his administration. Soon afterwards the old chapel was remodeled and renamed Good- rich Hall. Another change during this period was the revision of the curriculum. The basis of the revision was the institution of a group system of studies, with greater freedom of choice and with more emphasis on the humanities. During his term of office various fraternities began building larger houses to provide better eating facilities for all their members. VVhile he served as President, student enrollment increased from 381 to 470, and the increase of professors was from 26 to 49. Henry .llopkins will he remembered for his truly democratic spirit and his eagerness to understand and help the student body. HARRY A. GARFIELD 1908 - 1934 The son of the illustrous James Garfield, Harry Augustus Garfield became president of VVilliams College in 1908. One of the main innovations of his administration was the install- ation of a new student curriculum designed to eliminate thc choice of electives at random. President Garfield was also interested in the extra-curricular activities of the students and under his guidance student self-government Was inau- gurated, with the first student council being elected in 1914. He was also an avid proponent for eliminating the distinction between fraternity and non-fraternity men, and in 1910 a commons dining room was established in Currier Hall. Be- cause of his great interest in the welfare of the non-fraternity man, the name of the Commons Club was changed to Garfield Club after his resignation in 1935. I-Ie was also partially responsible for the organization of the Faculty Club, which was one of the finest organizations of its kind in the country. In addition to these and many other achievements, he innovated the extension of the cut system allowing Phi Beta Kappas who had been elected in their Iunior year to have unlimited cuts the second half of their Senior year. Page 8

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Trustees of Williams College James Phinney Baxter, 3rd, Ph.D., Litt.D., D.Sc., LL.D., President Charles Allen Foehl, Ir., B.A., LL.B., .,,.....,,.,....,.....,....... Quincy Bent, B.A., D.Eng. ......,....4......,.....,,. . Lewis Perry, M.A., Litt.D., L.H.D., LL.D. John P. VVilson, B.A., LL.B., LL.D. .......... . Morris Bryan Lainbie, Ph.D., L.H.D. .,,,. .....,.... . Secretary Bethlehem, Pa. Boston, Mass. ....... Chicago, III. Cambridge, Mass. Alfred Shriver, B.A. .,.......................... ...,.. W est New Brighton, Staten Isla-nd, N. Y. James Berwick Forgan .,..,........ Henry Needham Flynt, B.A. .,....... Arthur Joseph Santry, B.A., LL.B. ,.... . Mark Winfield Cresap, jr., M.B.A. ..,.. . George Avery White, LL.B. ...... . Meredith Wood, B.A. .....,..,...,.....,..,. . James Alexander Linen, III, B.A. .... , Stuart John Templeton, B.A., LL.B. ....,.,.....,....,...... . George Dykemau Sterling, B.A. .....,.....,,....,..,.....,......,.. . Alfred Eastlack Driscoll, B.A., LLB., LL.D., Litt.D. Ferdinand Karl Thun, B.A. ....... .,.,..,...,........,.............. . Bliss Perry, M.A., L.H.D., Litt.D., LL.D., Emeritus George Alfred Cluett, M.A., Emeritus .....,.....,.,.,.,.. ., WVilliani Pratt Sidley, M.A., LL.B., Emeritus ....,.. . Frederic Taylor Wood, B.A., Emeritus .,...............,....,......,....... . C,f5u Qo s me 123, 2' 53s 1: if. 5 ra, f I l g if A lr 95' ,771 M16 Oitliieers of Administration New York, N. 1. Lake Forest, Ill. Greenwich, Conn. ... , Brookline, Mass. New York, N. Y, ..,..,, Worcester, M ass. r Greenwich, Conn. Lake Forest, Ill Maplewood, N. I. Haddonfield, N. J. Wyoinzlssing, Pa. Cambridge. Mass. YVilliamstown, M ass. Winnetka, Ill. Pelham, N. Y. james Pliinney Baxter, 3rd, Ph.D., Litt.D., L.H.D., D.Sc., LL.D. ...........,.....,,,,..,....,. President Richard Agcr Newhall, Ph.D., Litt.D. .......,.,........,..,.... Chairman pro tempore of the Faculty Robert R. ll. Brooks, Ph.D. ............,. .... ,,.......... . ,... . .,,.,.,,.....,..,..,,,....,.,..... D e an Robert C. L. Scott, Ph.D. ......,....,,.,...,...,...........,.........,..,......., ..,..,..,.,..,..,...... D ea-n of Freshmen Frederick Cleveland Copeland, Ph.D. .....,,,...,,.,...,,,......,,....,.,.........,.,..,. Director of Admissions Henry Needham Flynt, jr., B.A. ....,...,... Counsellor of Veterans, Adviser in Undergraduate ' Affairs and Executive Secretary of the Student Aid Committee David Melxdlle Pynchon, B.A. .............,..,.....,..,............,......... Assistant Director of Admissions Charles Allen Foehl, Jr., B.A., LL.B. ........., ............,.......................... T reasurer Charles Denison Makepeace, B.A., LL.D. ....... ,......, Treasurer Emeritus Earle Olmstead Brown .,....,.......,... .......... ......................................,...,... A s sistant Treasurer William Clayton Bryant .,..... .i..... S uperintendent of Grounds and Buildings Thomas V. Urniy, M.D. .............,....,....,.....,.,,...,...,.,......,..,...,.....,........,,....,.,,. Director of Health Frank R. Thorns, Jr., B.A., M.B.A. Director of Athletics and Campus Business Management William Harvey Pierson, jr., M.F.A., Ph.D. ..........,. Acting Director Lawrence Art Museum William Ozmun Wyckolf, B.A. ........,... Director of Placement and Editor of Williams College in World War II Whitney Snow Stoddard, Ph.D., ..,.. Acting Secretary of the Society of Alumni Ellis Eaton Wright, M.A., B.S. ..... ,..,... E ditor of the Williams Alumni Review Charles B. Hall, B.A. ,.... .................... ,,,..,..... .............,................ E x e cutive of the Alumni Fund Stewart Chittenden Dalrymple, B.A. ..,..... Assistant Director of Campus Business Management Page 10