Cambridge 38

One of the staff of Cambridge 38 recently characterized the magazine as "sorta a Cambridge version of Life." In fact, Michael O'Hare's lead article, "First Term in the Visual Arts Center," is to the VAC as Life's inclusive series are to the universe. O'Hare ranges from a review of the caligraphy exhibit to a critique of Le Corbussier's architecture, from objective descriptions of courses to questionable evaluations of instructors and goals for the center. Yet, despite some superficiality (What are "the mind-broadening aspects of the cinema as an instructional device" which are allegedly the basis of Vis Stud 145?), O'Hare organizes his material skillfully, giving the VAC activities a fairly unified and comprehensible form.

His statements that the University must eventually operate an art school in order to fill "the gap in Harvard's fabric," and that the "missionary attitude common to all the faculty of the center... are symptoms of an autofascination that we hoped the center would avoid" are at least provocative.

If this article is the best thing about Cambridge 38, the best thing about the article is the reproductions of students' work; sorta like the pictures in Life. It seems unfortunate that Mr O'Hare writes, "The illustrations accompanying this article...represent the best work in the studio courses to date" and then includes his own uninspiring "Construction." Nevertheless, the student work is impressive. Especially effective are Richard Shift's "Drawing" in pen and ink and Betsy Root's microphotograph, "Chocolate Bar."

Mark Meyers' contribution, "Faint Hearts and Fair Ladies," is a short, personal spoof of Harvard emancipation, "the last gasp of the parietals issue." It is a nice bit of whimsy until you realize that Mr. Meyers is serious, the last gasp of provincialism. His facetious suggestion that the University herd streetwalkers into the senior common rooms might once have been funny, but is now only blainel.