Evening star., 1935-01-20
n. R. A. COURSES
IN COLLEGE HIT
President Nelson of Smith
College Tells AIumnae
Liberal Arts Value.

Resisting attempts of certain in
fiuences to put into college curricula
courses in the National Recovery Ad-
ministration" and vocational courses,
DR.. William Allan Nelson, president
of Smith College, defended last night
the tried" principles OF liberal arts
education.
Speaking to graduates of Smith at
their alumnae association banquet at
the Carlton Hotel DR.. Nelson said
education was interpreting modern
life in the light of the past, but pro-
vided more valuable training than
could be given in courses merely on
facts of the last Congress"
DR.. William A. Orton, professor Of
economics at the college, recon-
mended that Government-investigat-
ing bodies should be forced by law
to summarize their findings in a sim
gle volume to sell for about 81, so the
man on the street" could buy it.,
read and understand. He recon-
mended also that in every post Office
there should be counter for the sale
of valuable Government publications.
In the mass of publications now is
suing from Washington. he raised the
question that it is difficult line to
draw between information and propa-
ganda."
87l Speeches Broadcast.
Pointing out that the National
Broadcasting Co. had broadcast 871
o,,oooboe fro,,, q ody,,;,,ict 70 tino coIIrnpc
last year, Dr. Orton declared the radio
is perhaps a little too wonderful as
means of communication" He
urged a constant stimulation Of the
spirit of debate and criticism on pub
lie policy.
President Nelson, speaking of voca-
tional courses. declared the liberal
college was never meant to train for
a livelihood
1T is preliminary to professional
training" he said, "and should not go
too far into immediate or transient
conditions of the moment"
In answer to the proposal that
courses in the N. R. A. should be in
cluded in the college. he asked what
tried and true courses of education
should be displaced.
Describing the education of a girl
for marriage, DR.. Nelson said:
If, as is the case with the vast ma
jority of our graduates, she is going
to marry and have to conduct the
household. the best preparation for
that is not a course in dietetics or
household management, but course
that will make her broadminded hu-
man being. with sympathy broad
enough to understand her neighbors
her husband and her children, even
if she doesn't know at all while she
is in college, what kind of husband
or what kind Of children she is going
to have.
1t is beyond the wit of any faculty
to contrive a course that will give
her that immediate kind of prepara-
ton.
Business of College.
There is no question in my mind
that the general broadening of ca
pacity and the training of the power
of thought and the developing Of the
imagination are our business. And
these can be done better with tried
materials than they can be done with
questions phrased in the jargon OF
the moment"
Mrs. Harriet Bliss Ford, resident
trustee of Smith, presided at the ban
quet, which concluded day Of activ-
ity for the national Smith College
Alumnae Association. More than 300
graduates were taken to several func-
tions throughout the city. They Wis
tied the Folger Memorial Library in
the morning and were received by
Mrs. Roosevelt at the White House
at noon. A tea for secondary students
and their parents was given at the
club house of the American Associa-
ton of University Women, and tea
for alumnae at the home of Mr.. and
Mrs. Frank j. Hogan. where both Mr.
Hogan and President Nelson spoke on
Mr. Hogan'S collection of rare books