College Weighs Adding Chaplain and Preacher

General Education courses in religion and a University chaplain for undergraduates may result from a current study of the College's religious life.

It was learned yesterday that a committee, headed by Provost Buck, is considering a report which calls for a greatly expanded religious program for College students. The six-man group has not yet given approval to its complete report, and its plans will need Corporation and Overseer authorization.

The present proposals would call for a University preacher with the states of a professor to run Memorial Church and teach G.E. courses on religion.

May Appoint Chaplain

Under consideration is a University chaplain as an assistant who would advise students on their problems and cooperate with Square clergymen through the United Ministry to Students. His work might substitute for some of the advisory duties of the Hygiene Department.

These suggestions, if adopted, would be the latest in a series of College moves to bring religion more heavily into the life of the undergraduate. For two successive years there have been week-long series of lectures on the Christian religion with supporting meetings in the Houses. This month Nels F. S. Ferre of Vanderbilt University conducted the program, and Reinhold Niebuhr may give the talks next year.

The Buck committee report is tied in with the separate plans to modernize the Divinity School. At present the Dean of the Divinity School supervises the operation of Memorial Church, but under the new plans he would be relieved of those duties and could devote all his time to the graduate school.

The College now offers courses in the History and Philosophy of Religion, as well as a Comparative Literature course on the Bible.