Shapley Will Quit Astronomy Post After This Year

Harlow Shapley, professor of Astronomy, will retire next summer from his post as director of the Astronomical Observatory. Provost Buck announced last night. Shapley, who has held the post since 1921, will devote his time to teaching science and an expanded research program in astronomy.

Buck explained that Shapley is stepping down because of a University rule providing for the automatic retirement of administrative officials when they reach their 66th birthday.

The Observatory has provided training for a large number of professional astronomers under Shapely's 30-year guidance, and has established research centers in Colorado, New Mexico, and South Africa.

Shapley's future plans include a new General Education half-course on Cosmograph which he will teach this spring. The course, which will be open to juniors and senors only, will be a survey of cosmic physics and will examine what is presently known about the origins and probable destinies of stars, planets, and atoms.