Yale Government Head Comes Here

V. O. Key, chairman of Yale's Department of Political Science, is resigning to teach at Harvard next year, the CRIMSON learned last night. The approval of the Board of Overseers is believed to be the only formality left before the proposed appointment becomes official. The next meeting of the Overseers takes place a week from today.

The exact reason for the transfer of the nationally-known author is not clear. Key is only in his second year in New Haven and holds a permanent position, the Alfred Cowles Professorship of Government.

Key would become a professor of Government here, presumably filling the post left vacant when Benjamin F. Wright was chosen president of Smith.

In the past, professors have seldom left either of the two universities to accept a similar appointment at the other. The best-known transfer occurred 25 years ago when George P. Baker '87, professor of English, left Cambridge for New Haven after Yale accepted the gift of a School of Drama which President Lowell had refused.

Authority on Pressure Groups

Key is the author of "Politics, Parties, and Pressure Groups," a standard text that is required reading in Government 1b. Last year he published a definitive book on "Southern Politics."

A department head at Yale holds a more important position than one at Harvard. While his actions are subject to the approval of professors in his department, the chairman at Yale is the key man in setting up the departmental budget and suggesting course offerings.

Key was given the chairmanship of his department when he came to Yale from Johns Hopkins in July, 1949.

At Harvard, Key may give only graduate courses; but his specialization in party politics makes two established College courses teaching possibilities for him: Government 135, Party Government in the United States, and Government 153, Problems in American Federalism.

The courses which Key teaches at New Haven cover these fields; he also gives a thesis seminar "for Intensive Majors in Government."

Born in Austin, Texas in 1908, Key received his A.B. from the University of Texas and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. He joined the faculty of Johns Hopkins in 1938, rising to the chairmanship of the Department of Political Science.