Perhaps the most amusing controversy has been the "piety controversy" at the Divinity School Student Association, J. Frank Schulman 3Dv. asked for more religious interest among the students, proposing that the association open meetings with prayer.

This caused an immediate protest by large faction of the school which charged Schulman with advocating "too much piety." Petitions followed and a meeting of the association was called. Finally, after long discussion Schulman cast the deciding vote in a tie ballot and succeeded in tabling a motion that "no religious activities precede business meetings unless they are specifically called for by a majority vote of the association."

Much tension and hard feeling resulted which led to the temporary firing of the editor of the association's newspaper. Finally, however, tension seemed to quite down and the Divinity students were again at peace with each other. But this too was a lesson in revolt against enforced religion even by those who might be expected to advocate it.

Many New Religious Clubs

There has been during the past year a wave of organization of new religious groups. The DcMaloy Club, a junior organization of the Masons, while not specifically religious, has very strong underlying religious principles. It was approved by the Student Council in January. A group which call themselves "The Saintly Sinners" have organized to "meet occasionally in Cronin's and talk about religion." The Harvard Episcopal Society, representing the largest single religious group in the student body was organized last spring to gain for the Episcopal groups the advantages of official University recognition.

The Appleton Club, originally a nonsectarian group for those students interested in religion but not attached to any specific denomination exists at present "only in the files," because of lack of sufficient support and interest from the sponsors. The officers are waiting for the appointment of the new Preacher at Memorial Church in order to work with him to build the group around the church and it proposed activities.

Even the faculty seems to be organizing Kirtley F. Mather, professor of Geology, is chairman of a national organization formed last year, The Faculty Christian Fellowship. This is a loosely knit organization of professors throughout the country who have a concern for understanding the relation of religious commitment to objective teaching. It aims to discover the "implications of Christianity for the work of the teacher."

Professor Ian G. Barbour writes about the group in the Christian Century, "Is the University today really neutral, or open it tend to have an implied Weltan schauung? Why is it that the mention of a Christian view is often criticized whereas a logical positivist may be dogmatic and even militant in the expression of his faith? Partly because many teachers may not realize that they have presuppositions. . . Should we not encourage rather than discourage the discussion of convictions on the ultimate issues involved?"

The way in which the professors will go about solving these problems, particularly at Harvard, has not been made clear. But such an organization points out the intense interest even in the faculty. It also indicates a potential danger.

Over two years ago the Eliot House Chapel was organized in a basement room in the House in order to provide morning and evening prayers and devotional services. Although the chapel is used by Catholics, Protestants, and Episcopalians, the group which started it and continues to retain the most interest in it is Episcopal. In the fall of 1952 a similar group was established in a basement room of Matthews Hall for freshmen, also by predominantly Episcopalian interests.

There have been other evidences of increased religious interest and participation. More forums have been held by religious groups themselves on the relation of religion to democracy and to education than in past years. Whereas the Student Placement Office traditionally held a small afternoon conference to enable students to meet with clergymen and discuss the ministry as a career, this year it scheduled a full-fledged evening conference.

Last year when the Episcopal Theological School held a conference on the ministry, Frederic B. Kellogg, Episcopal Chaplain to students at Harvard and Radcliffe, sent out cards to various Episcopal students in the college, expecting perhaps 15 or 20 to attend. To his amazement 65 turned up. Twenty-five others wrote that they were busy but would like to come at some other time.

The religious complexion of the University, which has been so much commented on recently is an outgrowth and a reflection of the social scene in the nation as well as here. A significant number of College students are members of upper-middle and lower-upper class families. The religious complexion of these families in the nation is primarily Episcopalian and Jewish. As a result the predominant religious membership on the campus is Episcopalian and Jewish. In addition, a large portion of the student body in the College each year graduates from the many New England Episcopal prep schools, such as Groton, St. Paul's St. Mark's Kent, and St. George's, adding to the number of those with at least nominal Episcopal interest.

This, coupled with the predominantly Christian tradition of the University and the fact that the President, most of the Corporation and Overseers, most of the College Deans, and a large part of the alumni are Episcopalian has caused many to charge that the University is being taken over by them. This seems particularly ironical after centuries of identification of Harvard with Unitarianism.

At the other extreme are the Feeney type charges that the Jews are taking Over the University. Certainly neither of these groups is attempting to capture Harvard.