Buck Hails Lamont's Open Shelves

Lamont Library marks a return to the belief that education is based on unrestricted access to all that humanity has thought and experienced, Provost Buck told the audience at the dedication of the new library yesterday afternoon. "Our worser selves have had little confidence in the capacity of man to solve his fate, have treated our students as though they were children, and so have sought to substitute for free inquiry, discipline and restraint," he said.

Others Speak

Buck joined President Conant, Keyes DeWitt Metcalf, University Librarian, Thomas S. Lamont, son of the late Thomas W. Lamont '92, and William D. Weeks '49, president of the Student Council in speaking at the dedication ceremonies in the Library's Forum Room today.

Several times in the history of Harvard there have been frontal and indirect attacks on freedom of thought, Buck noted. He cited as examples the restriction of anti-slavery discussion a century ago and more recently the attempt to prohibit Dunster House students from reading Norman Douglas' "South Wind."

"Harvard, like the world at large," Buck continued, "has been a battle-ground between good and evil. Our better selves have cherished freedom ... and have sought its advancement."

Tribute to Lamont

President Conant paid tribute to the generosity of Thomas W. Lamont '92, whose initial contribution of $1,500,000 launched the project in November, 1945, and to all others who contributed towards raising the endowment for the new library.

The President described Lamont Library as "a long stride forward and a good step backward, a step towards the simple past when the paucity of books and students automatically made a college library easy of access."

William D. Weeks '49, president of the Student Council, expressed the gratitude of the undergraduate study body for the "things eternal and lasting from which will arise the true measure of this library's greatness."