CHAIRMAN OF BOARD OF FRESHMAN ADVISERS TELLS OF ITS FUNCTIONS

In an article printed in the current issue of the Harvard Alumni Bulletin Professor R. DeC. Ward '89, Chairman of the Board of Freshman Advisers, has just revealed several important features of the work of the Board. Professor Ward states that the best way to gain an idea of the work is to follow the activities of the Board through a calendar year.

In May a letter is sent to each Adviser giving information regarding the hours for consultation with Freshmen at the opening of the year, and asking for information as to the place where the Freshmen are to meet their Advisers, the summer address of each Adviser, and other related matters. Each Adviser is also requested to send in before July 1 the names of any Freshmen whom, for any reason, he would like to advice. Early in June all printed matter, for the coming academic year is, so far as possible, prepared. This relates chiefly to various form-letters to both Advisers and Freshmen, and blanks for admission records. July, August, and September are very busy months in the office of the Board of Freshman Advisers, as it is necessary to have as much work done in advance as can be gotten out of the way.

About the middle of July the work of copying the admission records of all the new Freshmen begins, and continues through the summer. Special blanks are used, on one side of which are noted the grades received in examinations passed for admission under the Old Plan, and the number of years given to studies pursued at school under the New Plan and Honor Plan. One these blanks are also noted the credit towards any of the language requirements, which a Freshman may have received, and also whether or not he is exempt from English A, the prescribed English of the Freshman year. On the other side of the blank is a short form-note to the Freshman's Adviser from the chairman of the Board, and below are blank spaces in which are noted the Freshman's name, age, home address, name of his parent or guardian, where he was prepared for College, in what studies he has especial interest, and his intended profession or life work.

In August a special form-letter is sent out from the office of the Dean of Harvard College to the parents and teachers of each Freshman, asking them to write confidentially about the boys in a way that will be helpful to the Dean's Office. When the replies to these letters come back, the Dean of Harvard College, the Freshman Dean and the Chairman of the Board of Freshman Advisers read them. The chairman marks the passages which will be of help to the Advisers, and these are copied and sent to each Adviser, together with the other information concerning his advisees. As a rule these letters from parents and teachers are very helpful, and give just the kind of personal information that we need. The task of reading all this correspondence is he easy one, but the results are more than worth the labor. Occasionally, the often dreary monotony of going through these letters is broken by some amusing bit of information. One parent wrote: My boy has two good habits, smoking and drinking; he does neither one." Another wrote: "My son is passionately fond of music and intends to enter the medical profession."

In August a special form-letter is sent to each Freshman regarding registration and consultation with Advisers. With this letter is sent the pamphlet entitled, "Studies of the Freshman Year"; a list of the members of the Board of Freshman Advisers with the subjects which they teach, and a blank asking for the name; age; home address; address to which notice of appointment of Adviser should be sent; name of parent or guardian; where the boy has been prepared for College; the name of any Adviser to whom for any special reason, personal or otherwise, he would like to be assigned (the reasons for this choice to be given); whether the Freshman intends to register in the College or the Engineering School; the studies in which he has special interest; and his intended profession or other life work. Sometimes a Freshman's answer to these questions are rather amusing. For instance, after the question "Intended profession or other life work," one boy wrote: 'I intend other life work." Each Freshman is asked to fill out and return this blank as soon as possible. After its receipt the Adviser is assigned. In selecting the Adviser, a matter to which the chairman gives very careful attention, several considerations are kept in mind. These are (1) the Adviser's personal choice; (2) parents wish, if indicated in the confidential letter written to the Dean or otherwise; (3) the Freshman's preference, if a valid reason is given for it, and the Adviser thus chosen has not already his full quota; (4) the Freshman's expressed interest in some special subject of study in College, or his intended life work. No claim can be made that the assignment of Advisers is always the one that satisfies everyone concerned, but in the large majority of cases it is believed that the best arrangement possible has been made. As soon as the Adviser has been appointed, the Freshman is notified.

On Thursday of Freshman Week there is a special meeting of the members of the Board of Freshman Advisers in the Faculty Room at 4 o'clock. At that meeting each Adviser receives an envelope containing the excerpts from the letters from parents and teachers; the preparatory school or admission grades of his advisees; the "Rules Relating to College Studies" and "Studies of the Freshman Year;" the elective pamphlet; a memorandum for the guidance of Advisers; the Freshman Week program, with the Advisers' names and hours and places of consultation on the back; and a supply of blank record cars on which the grades of each advisee may be entered throughout the year. There is also space on these cards for other matter, such as discipline, illness, etc.

On the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of Freshman Week all Freshmen admitted in June who do not know their Faculty Advisers come to the office of the chairman. These did not return the blank sent to them in August because of their failure to receive it; because of their absence from home on a summer vacation; or because of carelessness. There is a surprisingly large number of such cases. These men are given a fresh blank which they fill out, and the chairman assignes them to an Adviser before they leave the office. There are also a good many men who have lost the notice of the appointment of their Advisers, and who come to the office for information on this point.

On the Sunday afternoon before the opening of the term there is a special and very busy meeting of the members of the office staff of the Board of Freshman Advisers. A list of the Freshmen admitted in September is received from the Committee on Admission and these men are then assigned to Advisers. The assignments are put on cards which are placed in the registration envelopes of the Freshmen, so that few of the men admitted in September come to the office of the chairman on Monday to find out the names of their Advisers. The only information immediately available concerning these September candidates is their names, school, home residence, and plan of admission. The appointment of the Advisers is, therefore, necessarily a difficult matter. In most cases the assignment is made to Advisers whose quotas are not yet filled.

There are always several Freshmen who are admitted late, and the work of assigning these odd men to Advisers continues for several days after the opening of College.