New-York tribune., 1922-09-20
Harvard Asks
Race and Color
OfNew Students
Revised Admission Blank
Also Calls for Fathers
Birthplace and Whether
Name Has Been Changed
yews Consider 1t a Ban
University Authorities In
sist No Race Is Aimed
AT; Seek Information


CAMBRIDGE, Mass, Sept. 1e.-The
charge that Harvard intends to dis
criminate against Jewish students
through a form of sitting candidates
for admission which became a national
subject Of discussion last June and
which the university authorities never
have officially denied again was to the
fore to-day when the new application
for admission blank became public
Printed thereon was a number of
questions new to Harvard men, and
for the first time in the uaiversity's
history of 286 years incoming students
are required, according TO the blank,
to state their race and color as we'll
as religious preference.
Furthermore, each applicant must
make known the fact if his name has
been changed since birth, or if his
fathers name has been changed.
These are radical and intimate
questions and cause considerable
number Of people to believe that the
application blank is just another drive
against the Jewish race, although the
Harvard authorities through Professor
Henry Pennypacker, chairman Of the
admission board, spiritedly maintained
that such is not the case. and that the
data that are sought are not so much q
matter of record as they are Of general
interest.
Committee Named Last June
President Lowell last June appointed
a committee, of which Professor c. H.
Grandgent was chairman, to study the
question of sitting students, which ap-
parently was directed at restricting
Jewish students. This body is not ex-
pected to report until next summer.
Jewish people point out that with
such an application blank in existence
no further means Of excluding men,
bers of their race is necessary
The understanding was that there
would be no action against the Jews
or other races until after this COM
mittee reported.
The query with reference to the
change in the name of the applicant
either by himself of his parent is
requested to be explained fully" in a
question of asking the applicant to
give the birthplace of his father, which
Professor Pennypacker declared was
new.
The committee of admission, of which
he is the chairman, was not alone in
formulating the queries. Response
bility for them, he declared, rests with
the entire Harvard administration. All
branches of the college faculty and
governing boards were consulted, he
said.
Seek AmpIer Information
While the application sets forth
plainly that the applicant is required
to make answer to the questions, Pro-
fessor Pennypacker declared that while
the board would like all the questions
answered. it will be in no way COM
pulsory, and that the failure of an ap-
plicant to do so will not cause him TO
be denied admission.
Asked what is the purpose of the
questions, Professor Pennypacker re-
piled that they are "intended to get
ampler information about the boys"
He said further: "We have had re-
quests from the United States Depart
ment of Commerce asking US this very
information about our students. We
have been unable to furnish the infor-
nation. 1t would be unfair to say that
this has anything to do with race dis
elimination or the Jewish question.