Professor Caught Playing Hookey, College Takes His Class Off Map

A hookey-playing professor has forced the Department of Geology to cancel the one course he was scheduled to give this term.

Alexander H. Rice '98, professor of Geographical Exploration, is listed in the catalog as instructor in Geography 175, Geographical Exploration. His secretary said last night that "Professor Rice is travelling for pleasure in Europe and will be back at the end of the month."

The caretaker of Rice's home in Newport, R.I., added that "he has on an apartment in Paris and is staying there" until October 20. Then, she added, he sails for New York.

When Professor Rice failed to show up for registration, the course was turned over to his homonym, Erwin Raisx, lecturer on Geographical Exploration. Raisx told a ten-man class that "nobody knows, when Professor Rice will show up--he may walk in the door right now."

When it was learned that Rice wasn't due for another month, the course, was dropped from the book. Raisx broke the news to the class at the third meeting last Monday.

Rice, a distinguished explorer, is also director of the Institute of Geographical Exploration and honorary curator of South American Archaeology and Ethnology. He has made several trips into the Amazon and Africa, but has been inactive recently because of poor health.