Significant Change

When Philip H. Rhinelander leaves Cambridge next fall, the University will lose not only an inspiring lecturer and a fine teacher, but also an administrator who has performed one of the most important tasks in the history of Harvard education-putting General Education on its feet and proving that it can function successfully as one of the most rewarding intellectual experiences in the College.

Rhinelander accepted the controversial and rather thankless position as director of General Education three years ago, forsaking the opportunity of devoting himself to scholarly research in order to administer the new program. He then proceeded in the face of considerable opposition and departmental provincialism, as well as the usual amount of administrative red tape, to build General Education into an impressive structure in the Harvard curriculum.

Now that Rhinelander has laid the difficult administrative groundwork, it is perhaps only natural that University officials should be on the lookout for widely recognized scholars to accept temporary chairmanships of Committee on General Education. Although not previously considered by the faculty, the new plan will certainly have its advantages-closer affiliation and cooperation between the Committee and the faculty as a whole, as well as a constant influx of new ideas.

Nevertheless, it should be remembered that the Committee chairmanship is considerably more than an administrative post; it requires a unique combination of administrator, scholar, teacher, and innovator. If men primarily interested in research are appointed, the inevitable conflict between administration and scholarship may bring only a loss in research and no gain in General Education. In Rhinelander, the University had a man well-suited for the post. The importance of the program demands someone equally capable in the future.