HISTRONIC HISTORY

Yesterday morning students in one of the largest courses in American history took part in an educational experiment new at least to most of the students concerned. With the era preceding the outbreak of the Civil War as the topic of the lecture, the professor offered a half hour's debate with two history instructors as the proponents of abolition and slavery. The two went at the subject and each other hammer and tongs, according to the purpose of the experiment--to reproduce as accurately as might be the debates of the '40's and '50's, portraying the prejudices of the times and the sectional antipathies.

It must be admitted that the orators showed themselves not only scholars but actors of no mean histrionic ability. The thirty-minute harangue was enjoyed by the students. Furthermore the causes for the Civil War now are far better understood by the class than any amount of reading could perhaps have made them.

Harvard's Department of Anthropology has already entered into an agreement with the Pathe News people to make somewhat dead subjects more significant, more graphic to the amateur scientist. But compared to the latest educational experiment of the History Department, the cinema idea must be classed as sterile in promoting interest and enthusiasm. Making dead bones live on the screen is tame compared to the thrills to be had in seeing members of the History Department, in costume, reenacting the glorious deeds of the past. Consider, for instance, the possibilities of staging the Defenestration of Prague from Memorial Hall's most lofty window with some Ph.D. candidate in the featured role. Or the History 3 section men might, with the aid of the Department of Zoology and the Military Science staff, put on a Roman holiday in the Stadium with the chairman of the Department occupying the imperial loge in Section 18, the Sargent and Radcliffe girls cast as Vestal Virgins in Section 23, and the members of the course, betoga'ed for the occasion, really "living" the period which they are studying. There is no limit to the pageants which might be staged. Not even the Congress of Vienna, staged in Sanders Theatre, is impossible, though the aid of allied departments might have to be enlisted after history professors had been exhausted in filling the more important roles.

Seriously though, the experiment yesterday is highly to be commended. History to be really understood must almost be experienced. Time and dignity perhaps will not allow the full program outlined above, but still there is positive good to be derived from such expositions on a small scale. And even where this is not possible, many lectures could be greatly improved by laying greater stress on the creation of "atmosphere."