Crimson Continues Confidential Guide Preparatory to Filing of Study Cards

The Crimson today continues its publication of the twelfth annual Confidential Guide of Courses, preparatory to the filling of course cards. In some instances a revision of the conduct of a course may have been effected without any notice being given. The Crimson cannot assume responsibility for errors arising from such conditions, and can only urge professors contemplating such a change to notify the Crimson.

Chemistry A

"Elementary Chemistry"

To the unknowing young Freshman, Harvard offers several courses through which the science requirement may be passed off; but none of these is a better source of information or a broader introduction to the method of scientific thought than Chemistry A.

The course consists of two lectures per week, a 20-minute quiz followed by a question-all in the section meeting on Friday, and "three hours" of laboratory work. The lectures are interesting from the point of view of their content, but for little else. The lecturer is dull, albeit rather easily followed when it comes to taking notes. The table experiments, however, usually make up for this, except when some assistant has prepared them incorrectly and they fail to respond according to Hoyle. The quizzes themselves, coming always as regularly as Fate, are taken entirely from the two lectures of that week, and count heavily for the term mark. As for the lab work, if the student works earnestly and hard during the entire period, he can finish the prescribed work in the time allotted; most students come back another day. Although the majority of the experiments are dry and boring routine, several of them give to the aspiring chemist, as he gazes on his network of glass apparatus, a feeling that he is really accomplishing something important after all.

Here, as is the case with most elementary scientific courses, memory work will bring honor marks; no brains necessary.

History 10a

"Colonial History to 1760"

To anyone interested in American Colonial History, and who has cherished the fond desire of learning a good bit more about it, he may well take this course by Professor Morison and spend an enjoyable, if not easy, half year.

Colonial America considered by many a dull, dry subject, is here pictured in an amusing, yet scholarly light. The lectures which could easily be boring and uninteresting contain much humor and many queer tales of "the other side" of our colonial ancestors. Although none of the essential factual detail is omitted, it is presented in a fashion which makes the hours pass rapidly and gives one more time and interest for the reading a thing which he well needs, for the assignments are not short and many of them hardly brim over with fascination.

Original narratives and more especially the works of Parkman do furnish a few hours of extremely pleasant reading. The work on the earlier Spanish settle- ments probably will not be as pleasant as the diaries of Samuel Sewall and the tales of Morton and "Merriemount", "The roadhouse on the way to Boston."

A few lectures are devoted to Harvard history, a field in which Mr. Morison is undisputed master. These hours are particularly pleasing as much time is spent in retelling the life of the undergraduate of two centuries ago. Fine tales of college pranks a la 1700 told in an inimitable style give one to believe that it was not all Greek and Hebrew in the old days.

Yes, one could do far worse than spend a half year with Mr. Morison and his colonial history in Harvard 2