Nearly everyone who come to Harvard has from earliest infancy been acquainted with at least the popular legend type of American history. In History 5a the student will find some of his childhood beliefs supported, others ruthlessly destroyed, but in any case he will find a steady-moving, very thorough account of America from 1765 until the close of the Jacksonian era.

Professor Merk's style of lecturing is by no means forceful; rather it is noted for its regularity and precision. An amazing amount of very valuable and interesting material is packed into each 53 minutes, yet there is no sensation of Floyd Gibbons-like speed.

With one notable exception the reading is good. Unfortunately, the exception is the textbook used in the course, Hockett. A great deal of the evil of having a poor textbook is, however, removed by the thoroughness of Professor Merk's lectures. With this one exception, History 5a accomplishes in very commendable fashion its task of racing through the nation's history.

Mathematics A

"Analytic Geometry; Introduction to the Calculus"

For those who haven't fulfilled their distribution requirement, Math A affords an uninspiring but rigorous alternative to an elementary philosophy course.

Students subjecting themselves to the routine are divided into sections varying with their ability demonstrated in the College Boards. Outstanding performers are submitted to the professor in charge of the course, in whose section the work is conducted in lectures, often with the extraneous demonstration of mathematical phenomena. The rest go into smaller groups under smaller men, who emphasize only the essentials, and explain the work more conscientiously.

Without a reasonable amount of application, even a passing mark is unattainable, for the grade is based chiefly upon the daily work. A vast amount of time is spent in solving problems fabricated purely to prepare the students for the more difficult hurdles ahead.

Beginning the year with analytic geometry, one learns a working relation between geometry and algebra, which facilitates the solving of the more intricate geometrical problems. The spasmodic recurrence of differential calculus serves as an introduction to Math 2, and furnishes mild interest. A hasty survey of trigonometry is inserted for those who have missed it in school.

It is a course for students who like mathematics for its own sake, and who enjoy spending more than a quarter of their scholastic hours in one year in plotting graphs and differentiating functions. Others, who are not continuing the study, gain an appreciation of the methods of higher mathematics. In preparation for advanced mathematics or for a physical science, it is a necessity.

Music 4

"Typical Forms and Styles"

For the man who is fond of music and wishes to learn something about its technical side, Music 4 supplies the answer. Since men who are concentrating in music are not required to take this course, Professor Ballantine has not been restricted by department requirements. One hears representative music from almost every composer of note from Bach to Stravinsky. Analysis of the forms and methods of composition comprise most of the material for study.

One of the chief features is the playing of Professor Ballantine who avoids lending the course a stereotyped flavor through his interest in his work. As a survey course it seems to meet the demands of the musical student in a more logical way than Music 3. While Professor Hill's course considers the biographies of the composers, Music 4 goes directly to their music.

Spanish 1

"Spanish Grammar, Reading, and Composition"

Spanish 1, designed for students who have had no previous knowledge of the language, is, like all other first year language courses, monotonous. The grammar is not particularly difficult, the reading is done in books which are based on puerile stories, and the composition consists of re-writing these same stories.

Despite the boring tone of the course, it is well worth while for anyone to take who is looking for something easy with which to round out a schedule. It cannot be called difficult, in fact it tends to be fairly simple and requires very little time for preparation. At the end of the course, however, even the most superficial student will have received some benefit. A reading knowledge of Spanish can be quite easily derived, which would help anyone through a country where the language is spoken or through a society where people are dropping the foreign phrase.

Enlightened by a good section man, such as Mr. Carner (Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12 o'clock) with a sense of humor and a knowledge of Castilian manners and modes, the course becomes quite delightful.