John Montgomery Named Government Dept. Head

John D. Montgomery, professor of Public Administration, will become chairman of the Government Department next fall.

He replaces Sidney Verba '53, who will become associate dean of the Faculty for undergraduate education after a leave of absence next year.

"The department is at an all-time peak, so I don't have serious duties of reconstruction," Montgomery said yesterday, adding that the department "has been administered by a superb chairman, so I don't even have to make new administrative procedures."

Montgomery said he will concentrate on the chairman's traditional duties of coordinating the actions of individual professors with student needs and University requirements, a job he called "a lot of committee work."

The chairmanship is a three-year post, Harry N. Hirsch, the department's head tutor, said yesterday.

Montgomery said he hopes to help find professors to fill two positions in the department, including the one that Michael Walzer, professor of Government, will vacate next fall. "Walzer's departure is a grievous loss," he added.

Serious

Verba said yesterday no unusual tasks confront Montgomery, though he added that "there are a couple of serious appointments that have to be made."

Dean Rosovsky offered Montgomery the post on April 10, but he waited until April 15 to accept, deciding the responsibilities will probably not significantly hinder his teaching.

Once a Teacher...

Montgomery, who teaches three upper-level Government courses also affiliated with the Kennedy School of Government, said he will not change his course load next year, but he added he will reevaluate it after a year as chairman.

"The teaching part's the fun, so that's what I'm reluctant to give up," he said adding, "I'm going to have to see how much work the job is."

Development

A professor here three years, Montgomery specializes in international development, development administration and U.S. foreign policy.

Montgomery, dean of Babson College from 1946 to 1957 and a professor in Boston University's African Studies Department from 1960 to 1963, has written a number of books on development, foreign aid and foreign policy. Most recently, he co-authored "Appropriate Technology and Social Values."