Gummere, Sperry, and Perkins Welcome Class of '40 at Union

With three speakers stressing Harvard's tradition of freedom, the Class of 1940 was officially welcomed to the University's ranks last night at 7:30 o'clock in the Union.

The speakers, introduced by Delmar Leighton '19, dean of Freshmen, were Richard M. Gummere, chairman of Admissions, Willard Learoyd Sperry, chairman of the Board of Preachers to the University, and Thomas Nelson Perkins '91, senior member of the Corporation.

Chairman Gummere stressed the growing continuity between school and college, pointed out that President Conant had relieved Freshmen of the burden of compulsory courses, and concluded by urging every Freshman not to lose the oppertunity offered by the great freedom of university life to do one thing and to do it well.

Dean Sperry also spoke of the University's laissez-faire policy, mentioned the periods of transition in one's life, as between school and college, and advised Freshmen not to treat life at Harvard as something wholly without precedent.

The last speaker was Mr. Perkins, speaking for President Conant, now on his way to England. After mentioning the wide choice in subjects, as well as in the amount of studying permitted the Class, he repeated urgently the plea of Gummere to do some one thing well and hard, preferably something that is of spontaneous interest rather than something prescribed. He finished by observing that by and large most of the people he had met, even at Harvard, were susceptible to decent treatment and would respond in kind.