Conant Reaflirms His Old Stand on Same A.B. for All

Whatever divergency of opinions Faculty or students may maintain on the present distinction between the A.B. and S.B. degrees, James B. Conant '14, President of the University, declared yesterday that he favors the same proposal for a single degrees that he presented unsuccessfully to the Faculty a dozen years ago.

Anxious to point out that the issue is not as critical as some of the sentimental arguments about the classics requirement would lead one to believe, President Conant said, "My support of a single A.B. degree with no classical language requirement is well-known and has not changed since my annual report for 1934."

Asked whether he, as a scientist, knew of any reason why the B.S. might be preferred he replied that he knew of none unless it concerned engineers--a qualification he cheerfully withdrew on learning that the Departments of Engineering and Applied Physics favored the A.B.

"My idea has the advantage of simplicity," he stated. "Harvard now is unique among American colleges in its requirement of Latin or Greek for an Arts degree. If it continues much longer, it may acquire the flavor of a quaint custom," he added.

Provost Paul H. Buck, also present at the discussion, noted that he had asked the Student Council and the CRIMSON to investigate and publicize the problem and to poll the students body so that he could report to the Faculty on undergraduate feeling by the end of next month.

President Conant Explains

"Bob Hutchins and I disagree on several things, but someone overdramatized our differences about the use of man's leisure," was the comment of President Conant on the press report of last week's sessions at Princeton. "In fact, he had left the day before I spoke."

Confirming the tenor of the report however, Conant forwarded other comments from warmer climates. "You are all being too provincial," said a scholar from Cuba, who agreed with another from Mexico that "suing leisure is no problem where we come from."