Conant, Gummere, Lee Welcome Class of 1946 at Lowell House

President Conant last night, addressing an informal welcome to nearly 700 Freshmen tightly packed into the Lowell House dining hall, pointed out that the principal problem now before the Class of 1946 is how each member can serve his country in the war. The other speakers at the meeting were Richard M. Gummere, chairman of the Committee on Admissions, and Dr. Roger I. Lee, member of the Corporation and Fellow of Harvard College, who were introduced by Dean Hanford.

"The Class of 1942 entered college when no one in the United States imagined that we would be at war," the President said. "These men, while they were still only partially trained, had to change their ambitions for the moment." But 1946 will have no such difficulties, since they understand the task that lies before them and since they can frame their college career with an eye toward winning the war, stated Dr. Conant.

He briefly outlined the four possibilities open to Freshmen in the armed services: Army and Navy ROTC, V-1, and the Army Enlisted Reserve. "There is a great deal of talk in informed circles that before many months have passed the draft age will be lowered to 19 or 18," Conant said, and explained that each House would soon have an adviser on V-1 and on the Army enlisted plan so as to take care of men who wish to insure themselves of a minimum of college before they enter the Service.

Intellectual Guinea Pigs

At the same time, he announced that the Army Air Corps was anxious to use the present Freshman Class as "intellectual guinea pigs" for the purpose of standardizing its qualifying examination on college Freshmen and also to learn the relative number of college students who can qualify for Aviation Cadet training. The examination will take three hours, and will take place some time be- tween July 5 and 10. Notice of the exact date and time will be printed in the CRIMSON.

Gummere, who spoke after Conant, offered words of advice to 1946 interspersed with humorous references to former Freshmen who had been in their position in previous years. He emphasized that Freshmen in Harvard College are never babied or pampered, but are treated and taken "just as seriously as Seniors." Part of the Harvard tradition requires that Freshmen comport themselves in as adult a fashion as first-year men in Oxford or Cambridge, and there is no system of hazing here as there is at many other American universities.

Plan Work Wisely

"I hope," he said, "that many of you will take courses beyond the elementary stage this year," pointing out that a good number of Freshmen do so each year with great success. "Plan your work wisely," he advised, indicating that men with relatively low I.Q.'s nevertheless frequently make a good record at Harvard because they do their work as it is assigned and do not wait until the very last minute to prepare for tests or examinations.

The third speaker at last night's meeting was Dr. Roger I. Lee, who attempted a definition of what Harvard really is, coming to the conclusion that it is greater than any of the material things which comprise the institution itself. "Harvard is more than buildings, which are only clay and water and will pass away; it is more than the Faculty, which will come to dust; it is more than you young men, who will go away," he declared.

He said that if he were asked to name the Class of 1946, he should call them the V Class, with V standing for Victory