PRESIDENT ELIOT'S BIRTHDAY

It is now almost eight years since President Eliot, after forty years as head of Harvard University, became President Emeritus, and although he is still a familiar figure among us, we may fail to appreciate the relation between the work and the man. The outstanding feature of President Eliot's leadership was his belief in the possibility of developing the individual and his invincible faith in the value of freedom as the great educator of men. His most important reforms--the creation of the professional schools, perfection of the three-year course for an A.B. degree, the development of the elective system--were all the result of keeping these ideals constantly in mind. In 1869, when he became President, Harvard College graduated one hundred and eleven men; when he retired in 1909, a thousand degrees were granted at each Commencement.

Although some may forget the service he has rendered, his personality is ever with us. President Eliot still holds to those ideals which guided him through so many years. At an age when the minds of most men have sunk into the rut of conservatism, he is becoming more radical, more forward-looking, more eager to use his abilities in betterment and reform. His activity in public and educational service has constantly increased in recent years. He is a believer in the value of technical as opposed to classical training in the public high schools, and in physical instruction and the teaching of hygiene in all elementary and secondary schools. He has urged the reorganization and democratization of our army by appointing officers only from the ranks. He favors the adoption of some form of universal military training for the youth of the United States, such as exists in Switzerland. He supports the formation of a league of nations after the close of the war to enforce peace in Europe. In short, President Eliot's genius is more creative more original and constructive now than ever before.

The members of the University of today, some of whom, perhaps, have never seen his face or heard his matchless oratory of perfect speech, join with the multitude of Harvard men everywhere in wishing him health and happiness on his eighty third birthday.