Evening star., 1933-05-19

Parallels between the career of former
President Charles w. Eliot OF Harvard,
and that of DR.. James Bryant Conant,
chosen by the college corporation Tor
the presidency, are found by the pub
lie. Placing both among products
of the scientific world, and observing
that each represented selection from
the ranks Of younger educators, oo-
servers speculate as to the probaplllty
that the newly designated executive will
exert as great an influence upon the
cultural interests of the students as did
his famous predecessor, who was also
a pioneer in the use of the elective
system.
"A striking parallel between the
two" is pointed out by the San Antonio
Evening News, which observes that DR..
Eliot transformed higher education,
and asks: "Is it to be expected that
under DR.. Conant's leadership Amer1-
cas- oldest university will undergo an
other revolution? Will it become more
and more a scientific, and less cul-
tural, stronghold? Such a prospect
might be disconcerting to the older
alumni, but they need not fear. Almost
any university would benefit by a new
infusion of scientific spirit, and, besides,
the chemist usually has balance" In
York Sun voices the Judgment: In
the career of Eliot there was nothing
to suggest that specialization narrows
a man; he did not turn Harvard into
a mere technical laboratory. He did
remold the curriculum, but not into a
finality. Rather, he reformed it into
Elasticity. Lowell maintained the policy
of expression and liberalization
DIR Eliot did not neglect any field
of expansion and liberalization"
Springfield (Mass) Republican, "and
Prof Conant has presumably been
chosen because he is believed to have
the same broad gift of administration
and the same sympathy with all
round scholarly progress" The Boston
Transcript similarly comments: THE
mere fact that DR.. Conant is an emf
nent scientist affords no ground for
belief that he will give any undue en-
phasis to undergraduate study OF the
material sciences. DR.. Eliot, also. was
a chemist in his early years, but there
appears no basis upon which we can
connect that fact with the particular
features of his administrative policies,
and certainly he was q wonderful ad-
ministrator His genius, his policies,
his type of wisdom we're his own. The
same has been true OF his able sue
cessor' And the same, doubtless, Will
be true of the coming pilot of Har-
wards career"
"A true scientist" declares the Jer-
menting in search of new truths, and
cannot fail to be impressed with the
wonders and glories of this world. Life
in all it's forms is his constant study"
That paper adds that "a man who is
master of organic chemistry could
hardly be anything but a humanl-
tartan" The Youngstown Vindicator
comments: Many who have felt that
modern universities are too much given
over to science and other practical
subjects, to the detriment OF courses
which have to do with life and human
nature, would have liked to see presi-
dent whose principal interest lay in
the humanities. 1t is possible, how
ever, that a scientist may also be
humanist and this is what they trust
Dr. Conant will become"
when the University of Chicago IN
1929" according to the Rockford Reg
ister- Republic, called 30-year- Rob-
ert Maynard Hutchins from his chair
as dean of the Yale Law School to be-
come its president higher educational
circles, while recognizing DR.. Hutchins'
talents, looked askance that one so
young as he should be chosen for a
position of such great responsibility.
Now historic old Harvard has, in large
measure, followed suit by naming Prof.
James Bryant Conant, who Is just 40,
president to succeed the veteran A.
lawrence Lowell, retired. DR.. Conant
has been Sheldon Emery professor of
organic chemistry and member of the
Harvard chemistry board at Cambridge
He becomes the university's 25th presi- |
dent. The Des Moines Register takes
note Of the fact that "he joins the grow
ing group Of young university presi-