Alumni Bulletin Features Article by J.M. Crowther of Manchester Guardian

In the current issue of the Alumni Bulletin is featured an article written by J.M. Crowther, scientific correspondent of the Manchester Guardian. The author visited Harvard last spring and gave a course of six public lectures on "The History of American Science."

Entitled "Harvard Looks Ahead" Crowther states that the "combination of willingness to experiment and pursue a progressive policy with immense facilities and conservative prestige inspires a hopeful belief that the future of Harvard will be even more interesting than its past."

Academic Policy

To back up this statement the author cites many examples of how the college is forever pushing ahead. He picks out particularly the academic policy of President Conant by which the progressiveness is expressed. To Crowther the two feaures of this academic policy are the establishment of "roving professorships" and Conant's interest in the cultivation of accurate press reporting of the progress of learning.

Important also to Crowther is the encouragement offered for the study of the history of science and learning. In this field the author states that Harvard has in Dr. Sarton, "the most learned of the historians of science."

General Picture

Also included in the article is a short general picture of the college as a whole, compared with one of the English universities; Crowther was much impressed by the size and newness of the whole establishment. Of the Houses Crowther says "House customs are considerably different from college customs at Oxford. In hall, for instance the undergraduates sit at tables for four and read newspapers during dinner. Loud speakers may be heard in 'junior combination rooms.' But the house tradition is growing tentatively."

Singled out for high praise is President Conant. Of him he says, "Mr. Conant had shown great organizing ability in directing the immense chemistry laboratories. His researches had been marked, by the bold choice of first-rate problems. He has shown the same progressive tendencies in general policies (as President), and by an exceptional chance these qualities are combined with shrewd judgment and good humor."

"Harvard Spirit"

Another article of interest in the Bulletin is "Harvard Spirit" by Reginald Fitz '06. This is an account of Richard Hayter '96 who traveled several thousand miles to attend the Tercentenary Celebration.