Political, psychological, philosophical, and economic backgrounds of the European War, as well as the relation of American democracy to that conflict, will be discussed in the thirty afternoon and evening courses of college grade offered this fall and winter for Greater Boston adults by the Commission on Extension Courses, representing eleven local educational institutions.

Courses start this evening and throughout the week and the first two meetings may be attended without payment of the tuition fee of $2.50 to $5.00 covering the entire course.

Low Tuition Fees

The low tuition fees are made possible by the fact that the Extension Courses, now in their 30th year, are supported by the Lowell Institute of Boston. Courses carry credit toward the degree of Adjunct in Arts, at Harvard. Last year 1,760 men and women enrolled in the courses, the largest number in eight years.

The courses this year will be offered by twenty-six faculty members from Harvard, Tufts, Simmons, Boston University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Wellesley, sixteen of them Professors or Associate Professors in rank. Subjects covered will include astronomy, botany, international trade, public finance. English composition., English fiction since 1890, English literature to 1500, architecture in America, elementary French, advanced French, conversational French, elementary and advanced German, "Principles of Politics: Dictatorships and Democracies," international relations, foundations of American democracy, history of modern England, Italian, operatic and symphonic music, "Contemporary Philosophy of the Social Order," introductory psychology, social psychology, community organization, Spanish, geographic influences in the development of the United States, geology, advanced geology, and general geology.

Full information about the courses can be obtained from the office of the Commission on Extension Courses, Wadsworth House.

The third-year class in general Botany, meeting Saturday mornings under Professor Ralph H. Westmore, of Harvard, held its first meeting Saturday in the Biological Laboratories.

Schedule of the opening meetings of the courses this week is as follows:

Monday, Sept. 30

"Outlines of Astronomy," Dr. Fletcher G. Watson, Mondays and Fridays, 7:30 to 9 P. M., at Astronomical Laboratory, 11 Jarvis street.

"English Fiction Since 1870," Associate Professor Theodore Spencer, Mondays, 5:15 to 6:45 P. M., Emerson Hall 211.

Friday, October 4

"Masterpieces of Operatic and Symphonic Music," Professor John P. Marshall, of Boston University, Fridays, 5 to 6 P. M., at Boston University, corner of Boylston and Exeter streets, Boston.

Saturday, October 5

"Geographic Influences in the Development of the United States," Mrs. Helen Goss Thomas, Wellesley College, Saturdays, 2 to 4 P. M., Nash Lecture Room, Botanical Museum, Oxford street, Cambridge.