This evening at 7.15 o'clock the Harvard Student Council will hold its first meeting of the year, with Robert Saltonstall, Jr. '33, president, presiding over the season. While no preliminary statements have been made as to the business that will come up before the Council, it is expected that the members will consider among other things the report of last year's group, part of which has been applied in the creation of the work scholarship.
Every year it is custom of the Council to make some report to President Lowell regarding conditions that exist in the College. One of the Council's greatest reports came in 1926, when E. C. Aswell '26 and W. I. Nichols '26 set forth in their report a modified version of the House Plan as it is now in operation. This started from the CRIMSON platform for the year 1925-26. The initial plan of the committee of the Council to study educational methods suggested a course reduction and more tutors, among them older men who were professors and instructors and not merely graduate students who were themselves still studying. Most of these suggestions have been since adopted to the great advantage of the students concerned.
A later release from the Council, advised Harvard's entering the National Student Federation of the United States. This organization if for the betterment of relations between students in schools and colleges throughout the country. Somewhat later in 1926 came a report suggesting a Committee on Relations with Secondary Schools. Early in the Spring of 1926 came the final draft of the Council report favoring the subdividing of the College into several small units not unlike the Oxford and Cambridge system. Another item covered the faults of the tutorial system.
The 1927 report advocated a pre-examination respite from all advanced classes. This plan was taken up and approved by The Board of Overseers and was put into practice in the midyear examinations of the next year. Another 1927 report advocated more though and advice to be put on the Freshman courses. This was carried out with the aid of advisors for the first year men who were able to guide them in their choice of courses.
In 1928 a great many reports were issued on a variety of subjects. The Houses then in their early stages of administration, and the Dining Halls were the subject of an effective, but unbiased report.
Alumni Placement Service Started
The future vocations of Seniors was investigated with the result that the Alumni Placement Service was started. This Service has a group of men at its head who spend their time studying the opportunities for work and the different vocations that are open to job-hunting Seniors. In addition on this bureau for the Seniors and alumni the post of Consultant on Careers was established, which, with A. L. Putnam '20 at the head, has made it easier fo r undergraduates to pick out a suitable career for themselves.
Tutorial System Criticized
In 1931 the Tutorial System again came under the Council fire. They advocated the reduction of hour examinations and spoke of lack of understanding of the tutorial system on the part of the students who termed it a fifth course. The report, signed by Vernon Munroe '31, president of the Council, D. D. Lloyd '31, and R. C. L. Timpson '31, went on to state that most of the tutors themselves only stayed in college two or three years, not long enough to become well acquainted with their tutees and their field.
Junior Divisionals Recommended
Another section of the present educational system at Harvard that came under their surveillance was the General Examinations. These, the report stated, were made up if "small, specific question, designed to test the storehouse of facts which the student is supposed to have acquired." At this time the Bible and Shakespeare Examinations in the Department of History and Literature were recommended for the Junior instead of the Senior year.
The 1932 report conducted by W. B. Wood, Jr. '32 was on Student Employment and the result of this comprehensive investigation is the many jobs that are available to students throughout the University.
The members of the Council for the coming year are: Robert Saltonstall Jr. '33, of Readville, President; he has rowed on the crew for the past two years and is Chairman of the Dunster House Committee; Peregrine White '33 of Beverly, a member of the CRIMSON Board, Secretary; Hamilton Young '34, of Newton, Treasurer; Malcolm Bancroft '33, of Boston, a member of the crew for the past two years and Captain-Elect of the 1933 eight, Chairman of the Eliot House Committee, and a member of this year's football team and last season's squad; N. P. Dodge '33, of Hyde Park, Captain of the 1933 Track team: S. C. Dorman '33, of New York, Manager of Tennis; C. H. Hageman Jr. '33, of Lorain, Ohio, Captain of the 1933 Football Team; R. H. Hallowell '33, of Readville, a crew man for the past two years, W. A. Schroeder '33, of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, a member of the Kirkland House Committee, W. S. Sims Jr. '33, of Boston, a member of the CRIMSON Board, H. R. Woodard '33, of Indianapolis, Indiana; R. G. Ames '34, of Wayland; Richard Bassett '54, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; A. B. Hallowell '34, of Hyde Park; Atreus von Schrsider '34, of New York; Bradford Simmons '34, of Baltimore, Maryland; and C. A. Pescosolido '34, of Newtonville.
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