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In the December number of the Graduates' Magazine, the first article that gains notice is "Harvard and the Radcliffe Spectre," by Professor W. E. Byerly '71; which is a discussion of some of the conclusions reached by Professor Wendell in an article on "The Relations of Radcliffe with Harvard" which appeared in the Harvard Monthly for October. Professor Byerly believes that the picture of the dangers of those relations by Professor Wendell was "rather lurid," and he considers in turn the three statements in that article. First he shows by figures for the past six years that co-education in the College proper has not increased, that it has in fact decreased, and that the danger of complete co-education at Harvard exists no more today than it has in previous years. Professor Byerly dismisses as a test the admission of Radcliffe students in the Graduate School. He admits the second point raised by Professor Wendell: the professors lecture at Radcliffe for salaries when they might be doing research work, but says: "If Professor Wendell has discovered a method by which his colleagues can publish the results of their original research with pecuniary profit to themselves, he has only to make it known to become Harvard's greatest benefactor." The third objection to the present relations between the institutions, that it causes the weakening of the intellectual fibre of the Harvard men who have courses at Radcliffe, is answered by Professor Byerly with a list of twenty-five professors "of whom the University and her sons are justly proud, and whom no one can suspect of being intellectual degenerates, and yet they" he adds, "and they only, are the Harvard instructors who have taught for ten years or more at Radcliffe. Surely Professor Wendell's opinion is strangely at variance with the facts, and perhaps we need not yet despair of the University."
In "Plain Facts about the Library," Professor W. C. Lane '81, elaborates on four present needs of the College Library, additional shelf room for books, study rooms for professor and advanced students, increased space for administration, and a better reading room. He says: "It is a singular fact that, at a time when the building of libraries has become a favorite form of public benefaction, Harvard has not received any great gift for a library building. It is useless to expect an ample equipment and a generous building from any other source." In summarizing the requirements, Professor Lane puts beauty first because he believes "that the Library does not take the place it should in the life of the University and of the individual student unless it is something more than a mere storehouse or tool-shop. It should have a quiet dignity, a fineness of proportion and beauty of detail both within and without, which in skilled hands are not incompatible with practical serviceableness, and it should also have every convenience that can facilitate its administration."
Mr. W. R. Thayer '81 has compiled a list of class marshals since 1870 with their residences, clubs and athletic records, and has made up the following summary: "It appears that Massachusetts is to be credited with exactly two-thirds of the marshals; that more than seven-ninths of the whole number are to be classes as athletes, and three-fifths as club men. "It appears, further, that 29 members of the crew and 28 members of the eleven have been elected marshals, as against only 12 members of the 'Varsity nine. In other words, a member of the crew or eleven has had more than twice as good a chance as a members of the nine of being a marshal. The disproportion in favor of football is even greater than that, as football has been in vogue less than 25 years. The most cursory glance at the figures will settle once for all whether athletes are honored by their classmates at Harvard."
Professor I. N. Hollis h. '99 contributes an account of the Soldiers Field improvements, and A. H. Lloyd '86 criticises Professor Munsterberg's expressions on "Psychology and Life." Sketches of the recipients of honorary degrees in 1899 and of Henry Lillie Pierce with portrait, and "The Crimson" by H. James, 2d, 1G., an appreciative account of the seriousness and levities of one University organization, complete the unusual articles of the magazine. Under the usual heading of the "The University," Professor Hart discusses the expansion of Harvard and the interesting academic and athletic situations, and F. E. Bissell '00 writes "Student Life." Athletics, Radcliffe, the departmental reports, graduate news, articles on the Harvard Numismatic collections and the Harvard Union, and the regular notes and records, with a view of Harvard College in 1795 as the frontispiece, complete the number.
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