'59 Applications to Reach Record High, Possibly 4000

Applications for next year's freshman class again should break records despite efforts to keep the number down, Dean Bender reported yesterday.

The Dean of Admissions stated he expected "three or four hundred" more applications to the Class of 1959 than he received in last year's record breaking onslaught. "They may even reach 4,000," he added.

A record total of 3,500 high school students filed admission forms to the present freshman class, and forced Bender's staff to spend over a month in late evening sessions last spring weeding out applicants.

"We are going to do our best to discourage marginal candidates this fall, but there seems little chance that applications will be under last year's total."

The Veterans' Office in Lehman Hall further reported yesterday that it expects a number of veterans comparable to this year's total to apply for admission next year. There are slightly under 100 exservicemen in the freshman class this year.

Last Depression Babies

Dean Bender explained that last year's high school graduating class was the last of the depression babies, and was thus smaller than the class expected to graduate throughout the country this spring.

"A larger graduating class and the increasing tendency among high school seniors to file multiple admissions forms are the two major factors in expecting a greater number of applications for next year," Bender stated.

He further explained that graduating students are tending to apply to several colleges now in order to cover themselves against rejection.

Ideally, the dean added, his admissions office should not have to consider more than 2,500 candidates for the 1,100 Yardling openings.