But the committee does plan a careful survey of the freshman and sophomore program. Under the distribution program adopted in 1947, freshmen must take courses in the four fields of social sciences, natural sciences, art and literature, and history, philosophy, and religion. At sophomores the latter fields are condensed under the humanities. This broad training closely resembles Harvard's General education program without Gen Ed Ahf.

The committee particularly wants to know whether by starting concentration a year earlier it can give undergraduates a greater direction in their studies. The group is also considering putting in more precepts in the lowerclass years.

Precepts resemble Harvard's section meeting except they are smaller (usually six students) and lead by a high-ranking member of the faculty (Usually a professor). These precepts, established in 905 by President Wilson, are the heart of the upperclass years and perhaps the most distinctive feature of Princeton's undergraduate education. The precept emphasizes logical thinking rather than factual knowledge. It is a time in the Princeton education when a professor can discover and correct any misconception in his students' minds while stimulating their reading interests.

Keep College Small

To be effective a precept must be small. Following World War II Princton's enrollment increased by 50 percent and put la terrific strain on the faculty and on the precept. As President Doods puts it, "something went out of the system which Princeton doesn't want to lose again." Accordingly, the President's Committee expects to report in June on how to keep down the enrollment to a maximum of 2900 an still meet the huge increase in war-baby students who will apply by the 1960's. Princeton is proud of the amount of time its best professors put in with their students who will apply by the 1960's. Princeton is proud of the amount of time its best professors put in with their students. President Dodds says his faculty lectures the average only 10 percent of their working hours.

Outside of Princeton's academic life, the President's committee still has serious problems, particularly in orienting the new undergraduate to the campus social life. Some of these social problems were pointed out in an article, "The Underclass Years" written by S. Roy Heath, psychologist, and director of the Advisee Project for the Class of 1954 at Princeton.

"It would be incorrect to imply that Princeton is facing a totally new problem in its underclass years," Heath wrote in the October, 1953, Alumni Weekly. "But the many sources of information available to the University attest to the fact that somehow since World War II the problem is reaching more serious proportions."

He referred to "insufficient wheel space" as the reason why former high school leaders find themselves restricted socially and academically on the campus. They are good bets for what Admissions Director William Edwards calls "high frustration potential" in their transition from school to college.

Since Heath's report many steps have been taken to alleviate these problems of the underclass years. The Campus Center is up, and freshmen are now allowed to participate in extra curricular activities from the opening of college.

Exactly how much undergraduate life will change is uncertain. This social and academic self-analysis will have important effects in some quarters, but leave others untouched. One of these latter will undoubtedly be the traditional idea of the Princeton Gentleman. His place on the campus in as sanctified as that of the Harvard Individual in Cambridge.

The history of this gentlemanly ideal goes back before the turn of the country when Princeton introduced its honor system. Today this sixty-year old system is considered one of the college's most cherished institutions. It is based on the principles that every man is on his honor not to give or receive aid in an examination; and that any student observing an infraction of this rule is honor bound to report it.

If the gentlemanly ideal origination in freshman year, then it is doubly strengthened during the last two years when juniors and seniors join an upperclass eating club. Here in the gracious atmosphere of linen tablecloths and heavy leather chairs the upperclassman eats, entertains his female friends, and holds his parties.

These 17 club, located as they are, outside the campus proper, have a unique relationship with Nassau Hall. Over the last thirty years the University has relied on them to feed its upperclassmen. But since they are privately owned and run by their own board of trustees, the university treats them with kid gloves.

Fifty years ago President Wilson wanted to abolish the club system as undemocratic. At that time one third of the upperclassmen were excluded from membership. Gradually the clubs have relaxed their restrictions and under administration pressure agreed to take a larger percentage of the college. This fall for the first time in the 100-year history of the clubs, every undergraduate who wanted a bid got and accepted one.

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