DESIRABLE UNITY

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, although receiving little publicity and less discussion, is one of Harvard's most important graduate schools. As its retiring dean, Professor J. L. Lowes, observes in a highly revealing and informative article in today's Alumni Bulletin, no other department stands in such intimate relations with the College, for the two are under the immediate charge of the same faculty. It has larger enrollment than either the Medical or Business Schools, while it draws both numerically and proportionately more considerably from Harvard College than does any other department in the University. For the uninformed, Professor Lowes' essay will prove an able description of the nature of the school and a sound evaluation of its great services in the advancement of scholarship and science, its achievements, its influence, and its prestige. It is sufficient to re-state what is common knowledge that this school is one of the largest and finest graduate schools of its kind in the country.

That such an important part of the University has no home of its own seems most regrettable. Its members have nothing in common at the present moment that they can call their own, except a small office at the top of University Hall; they lack the slightest advantages which make for unity or even for common acquaintance. This is a serious misfortune when one considers that even in this graduate school, more than half the members come from colleges other than Harvard.

The University has no money to spend on developing new plants for graduate schools, nor would it be wise at present to devote surplus sums, if on hand, for such a purpose. Something, however, can be done. Certain of the graduate dormitories can be apportioned for this school. The Law School and the Medical School enjoy this sort of privilege. When the Business School makes its exodus from Cambridge to the other bank of the Charles, more dormitory accommodations will be available. Then indeed the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences may come into its own; but until that millenium arrives there is no reason why some fairly acceptable arrangement can not be made.