DEAN REVIEWS 1916-17

Dean Yeomans, in an abstract of his annual report made public last Saturday, discussed the important events of the past year as follows:

"The members of the Administrative Board for the year 1916-1917 were Professor C. P. Parker, Regent Brandegee, Professors Ward, Chase, Lamb, Lee and the Dean. Professor Parker died on December 2, 1916, and the Administrative Board thereby lost a member whose fidelity and effectiveness were a standard for his colleagues.

"In the College, as elsewhere, the outbreak of war dwarfed all other events of the year. The College work had, however, been hampered earlier by two incidents which, in ordinary times, would be regarded as serious,--namely, the epidemic of infantile paralysis along the Atlantic Coast and the military service of many of our students on the Mexican Border. Several colleges retarded their opening because of the epidemic. It is a satisfaction to report that the decision of the Harvard authorities to open on time, made after careful deliberation and upon expert advice, was vindicated. Only one student contracted poliomyelitis throughout the college year, and it is probable that he did not contract the disease in Cambridge. Some 45 men were allowed to register late because they were held in the militia by the difficulty with Mexico. In nearly every instance their previous records were such as to enable them to maintain their standing even though the necessity of making up lost work forced a reduction in their program of studies for the first half-year.

War Caused Complications.

"The serious business of the year, however, was occasioned by the temporary modification of the requirements in favor of students enlisting in national service. When the enlistment was in military or naval service or in special preparation therefor, the votes of the Faculty left to the Administrative Board the decision whether credit for an abbreviated year might be given. Special in military or naval service or in special preparation therefor, the votes of the Faculty expressly provided that credit might be received for the work of the year, even though that work was not completed. When the service contemplated was not military or naval, the final examinations were held from April 30 to May 5, inclusive, and, whenever it was practicable, departing volunteers were required to take these tests. When these tests were not practicable, volunteers were given credit on the basis of such tests as instructors thought necessary to determine the quality of the work done. In no case was credit given unless the work done up to the time of leaving was of requisite quality, attested by examination which might be informal but must be substantial. In some instances, no tests of any kind could be arranged, and in consequence no credit could be given. Students who left early with credit for the year were required to furnish satisfactory evidence that they remained in national service through the period of the regular final examinations