After a year's trial, the new plan for awarding large scholarships to students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences has been declared a success and made an essential part of the 300th Anniversary Fund Program, according to Dean of the School George H. Chase '96. Ho explained that scholarship donations will be used for graduate students as well as undergraduates.
The new policy includes more large awards so that students of real ability could continue their education irrespective of their financial resources.
Small Stipends Formerly Granted
Formerly, a large number of scholarships with small stipends were granted, most of them a few hundred dollars each. The small size of these awards often compelled worthy recipients to obtain outside work. It has been felt that the amount of study now required of a student at Harvard precludes the possibility of his spending much energy in earning money.
Under the new plan in the Graduate School, Dear Chase, explained, there were awarded one fellowship of $1,000, four of $900, two of $880, four of $800, and eight of $750, whereas in the previous year the maximum award to a resident student was $725.
The first step in the program was to provide undergraduate fellowships with maximu7m awards of $1,000 each annually to entering freshmen from the middle west. These fellows made such a brilliant record in the first year of the plan, both in studies and extracurricular activities, that the program was expanded to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
Feel New Principle Justified
"As a result of the past year's experience." Dean Chase declared, "the members of the Committee and of the Administrative Board feel that the new principle has entirely justified itself. A larger number of men than before have been able to carry on their work without the distractions and disadvantages incident to insufficient founds.
"Fewer fellowships, of course, were given than in previous years, but we feel that a correct principle has been established and when more funds are available the large fellowships of the type will be increased in number."
