Evening star., 1962-03-29

ing a panel discussion last
night at the Shoreham Hotel.
Removing ignorance by
teaching and research, "is eX-
acting enough to take up the
time and strength of the most
; energetic men you can bring to-
gether for the purpose" said
DR.. Jaques Barzun, dean of fac
ulties and provost.
"The physician removes pain
and disease; we do not ask him
to deliver the mail in his spare
time" he argued. "Why should
the scholar and teacher be
asked to fix up the finances
Of Ruritania, invent new wea-
pons for the Army and Navy
and entertain the PTA with
free lectures on the beauties
of modern art?"
Cites Pioneer Advances
The applied sciences" of the
day-technology, the commu-
nication arts. the practice of
law and medicine, techniques
Of government and politics
ADVANCE in efficiency and JUS
tice only as and after there
are advances in the pure sci
ences to which they relate" ="
said Prof. Harry w. Jones,
Cardozo professor of jurispru-
dence in the school of law.
A university's distinctive
task Is the pursuit of the pure"
part of it, because no other
agency can or will do it, he
said.
He contended the university
should not identify itself "in
aim or aspiration with any out
side group or institution, be it
business, labor, social interest
or Government"
suspicious set in concerning
the objectivity of a university's
contributions to knowledge
when its professors ride a shut
tie service between campus and
Washington" he said.
Plato, he noted, dreamed of
a day when philosophers were
kings-"but when the philoso-
pliers are off working as kings,
where are we to look when our
social and legal orders are in
need Of a philosophy"
The university ought not to
undertake every possible kind
OF research, said DR.. Polykarp
Kusch, professor of physics
and 1855 Nobel prize winner in
physics. University research
should be done in an attempt
to answer questions of general
ity and Importance.
"The contemporary belief in
the value of anything at all
that can be described as re-
search has put a high premium
on what is often trivial, unim-
portant and dull" he said. This
belief can, among other things,
dissipate the strength of the
university in the pursuit of
purposeless fashion, he argued.
Earlier in Columbia in
Washington Day." sponsored
by the university alumni in the
Washington area, secondary
school guidance officers of the
District, Virginia and Maryland
conferred with a team of ad-
missions experts from Colum-
bia and Barnard College.
A special thing admitting Of
ficers look for at Barnard, the
women's undergraduate COL
lege, is social maturity, said
Miss Jean T. Palmer, general
secretary. This becomes partic-
ularly important in view of the
excitement" of New York City
and Columbia boys across the
street, she said.
Look for Sparks"
Donald Barr, assistant dean
Of the school Of engineering
and applied science, said the
admissions officers there like
to see signs of creativity in a
prospective student, and signs
of an intense love for some ac-
tivity of the mind"
Besides the academic equip
ment, reported Thomas S.
Colahan, associate director of
Columbia College admissions,
I'VE try to find out if a boy
has that additional spark-if
he has a sense of intellectual
curiosity"
The guidance officers also
heard a report from Jack N.
Arbolino, director Of the Ad-
vanced Placement Program for
the College Entrance Examina-
ton Board. About 600 colleges
have accepted advanced place
ment students, about so of them
in numbers, he said.
Montgomery County Supt. of
Schools c. Taylor Whittier
moderated the discussion.
Justice Douglas of the Su-
preme Court was general chair
man of the days activities.
Donald Dalton, president of