Yeshiva University - Masmid Yearbook (New York, NY)

Page 16 text:

Have we spent these four years agonizing over the ideal of Torah U ' Madah ? Have we devoted the bulk of our time to philosophic speculation? Alas, the truth is no, for we have not had such leisure. Our time has been de- voted to problems of a different realm. For it was not long before the blissful naivete of our freshman year was cruelly obliterated that the impossibility of our situation dawned upon us. Namely, how is one to achieve this proper balance between shiur, bio, lit, orgo, speech, chem, poli sci, info sci, psych, and calculus, while simultaneously attempting to make one ' s mark in that forbidden world of the social sieve; while at that very moment pondering upon that fantasy story you will offer as an explanation to your rebbe for your inevitable late arrival at morning shiur?

Page 15 text:

For four years we have been handed the necessary materials. We extract what we wish and what we are able. For four years we have been given the impetus in the form of abstract ideals. Whatever has been concretized has been dependent upon our willingness to face the task.

Page 17 text:

Oh, let us not even mention midterm weei , research papers, study week or our late night labs. Oh, what has become of the hours which were to be spent in the philosophic analysis of the concept of synthesis? Reality has forced us to develop our own philosophy as well as our own philosophic terminology. The Yeshiva College student philosopher has (a) engaged in the process of pulling all nighters to ace the course, (b) avoided all PhD ' s referred to as Dr. Hook, (c) disregarded the earth ' s revolutions around the sun and established his own thirty-six hour work day. Perhaps our system lacks the spectulative quality of Cartesian doubt, or the moral concern of Kant ' s Categorical Imperative, but it is the only method we have discovered of coping with reality. Thus, on the basis of pragmatic value we find its justification.