Enrollment in the College's elementary course in Russian has jumped to about 80 as compared to last year's figure of under 50. Assistant Professor Horace G. Lunt '41, who is in charge of Slavic Aab, thinks this is a good thing, not only for the nation, but for the Slavic Students themselves.
"I suppose a lot of them are hoping to get jobs in the Army's intelligence service when they get drafted," Lunt said. "And because there is a shortage of Russian speaking people in the United States, most of these students will probably get the kind of jobs they are looking for if, they continue their work."
Even if the men do not get the noncombatant jobs they had hoped for, their time will not have been wasted, Lunt said. "Russia is a country of 220 million people, with a culture vastly different from ours. It won't do these people a bit of harm to learn something about it.
In the other two basic Russian language courses. Slavic 101--Russian Reading and Composition--, and Slavic 102--Advanced Russian Composition and Conversation--enrollment has just about doubled.
Students have also flocked to other of the "Know your enemy" courses. Enrollment in "History of far Eastern Civilization," taught by Professors John K. Fairbanks '39 and Edwin O. Reischauer has just about doubled over last year's figure.
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