Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-29

- YEAR and half ago the good. solid.
substantial citizens Of this land of
~ the free and brave blinked their eyes
and took q second look at the head
lines of their newspaper. Yes, sir,
they got it right the first time! college pro-
fesSor was advising young men to ''be Snobs
and to marry the daughter of the boss!" Such
talk was heresy in this mans nation Of democ-
racy. Why, we were land of pioneers-cal-
louSed hands, big hearts and hard work. And
this college professor even went far to
advise two-parts suits and clean shirt twice
day! What is little honest dirt to be afraid
of? Baggy trousers sign of democracy.
So began the deiuge. And as I sat in Prof.
Robert e. rogers Office in Of the Messa-
chusetts Institute of Technology buildings which
faces the histo. ic Charles River and the beau
tifur Metropolitan Parkway, he chuckley heartily
in remembrance of the flood. He became
famous overnight
Prof Rogers gets a great kick out of life He
isn't the tra5it onal, dignifled, long-faced pro-
fesSor. He's short and rotund. Keen, friendly
and oftentimes twinkling eyes look through his
glasses at the world. And, shades of Horace
Mann, he was wearing spatsl
He had a big following before his ''snob" adj
dress to the graduating class of Tech made
him Q national figure. He's very popular
lecturer-dynamic, witty and wise. His radio
broadcasts are widely anticipated. His extern
sion courses in literature at the State House in
Boston are thronged by people of all classes
and ages
WE sat in his Office and smoked our pipes at
~ each other for an hour and a half both
pipes should have been put out of their misery
q long time ago. The Office looked as all pro-
fesSors' Offices do-desk and table Uttered with
papers, books on the floor and bulletins the
radiator The walls lined with books
every conceivable subject. Fire away" said
Prof. Rogers when pipes were going well and
we'd settled satisfs ctorfIy Boston weather on q
raw morning in wintertime.
well" said the question of how to achieve
success is stiIl the burning question. Young
people particularly want a sure-fire recipe.
Parents are willing to make extreme sacrifices
that their children may make mark in the
world. Does your previous advice Be a snob
ands marry the boss daughter still hold good?"
Prof. Rogers thoughtfully pulled away at his
pipe and looked quietly out over the traffic of
the parkway, beyong the Charles River to
where Boston doomed IN the murky fog.
He began quietly: Yes the advice still holds
It's been very interesting and Illuminating to
me during the last year and a half to get the
country.s reaction to that bit of advice.
'The reaction in general has proved that
while younger people approve Of what said.
older folks disagree. Perhaps modern modesty
is more frank than the traditional point Of
view.
"Of course it's the larger application of the
principle that and every other thinking person
in this democracy is really concerned about
The true QUESTION involved is: what shall be
the attitude Of the superior type Of person
toward society? VIII the gifted men and
women realize their responsibility to society
and use their particular talents for its beneit2"
interrupted with a question: ''Is q college
education essential for success t0day?"
Il don't think it's any more essential today
than it ever was" Prof Rogers stated ernphati-
caly. "a man with brains and viii power
is going to be success in life whether he goes
to college or not And the man who gets 10
college without sharpening his brains and get
ting into habits Of hard intellectual work has
wasted his time.
~rtis true to a certain extent that specialized
knowledge seems to be q distinct asset. But
right here in Tech, one Of the highest
specialized schools in America, we have mighty
interesting situation which proves that the
main function of a college is not specialized
instruction, but mental description-or an in
tellectuaI course of sprouts'-taat viii give gen.
eral service whatever man does in life
1.-THE situation I speak of is this: A large
number Of graduates never go into the kind Of
work for which they're trainedi
The time is coming when the present en-
phasis on the specific viii give way to q general
foundation. The highly specialized business
school like the Harvard School Of Business
Administration still has, believe TO prove its
fundamental educational yalue.
Percy Marks in q recent book says college
man spends four years under glass exposed TO
q regulated, forcing Temperature. When he gets
out he's no better than the man who goes into
business straight from grammar school high
school. But the college man is any good
hen GO ahead faster than the other No,
collage education isn't essential for success"
Speaking OF young people and college" I
remarked 81 must ask you . question every
one likes to discuss. What's wrong with the
younger generation today"
1 knew Prof. Rogers would smile. He did.
nf~nA khan ErTHr