John Dewey, William James Lecturer on Philosophy, Comments on Harvard's Atmosphere--Contrasts University and Columbia

"The general air of friendliness which seems to prevail among the students and the faculty" is what John Dewey, professor of Philosophy, emeritus Columbia University and William James Lecturer on philosophy during the second half year, considers the most important thing he has observed since he took up residence at Harvard, according to his opinion expressed yesterday.

As he sat in his modest quarters in Lowell House, he appeared more like an ordinary, gray-haired business man than a world-renowned leader of contemporary philosophic thought. However, he fulfilled more nearly the requirements of a philosopher's appearance as he continued slowly, "It is not tangible but rather a general frankness. This is an important part of a man's personal education in his preparation for life--that is social adjustment." He declared he was not well enough acquainted with the students to tell whether this had any effect on actual scholastic work.

His reply to the question of what minor details had interested him most was very surprising. "I don't think I ever saw so many tall boys. I have been wondering if all the next generation are going to be six feet."

Asked for his impression of the conferences between Harvard and Columbia, he said, "Harvard draws more from various parts of the country, but they all come for a general purpose--what Harvard stands for in their minds. Columbia attracts men who are interested more in some particular thing. I think the traditions of Harvard, its age, and past history are very powerful influences in drawing students from all over the country. Columbia attracts a somewhat more cosmopolitan body and is therefore somewhat less homogeneous." He added that much of this difference was due to the relative sizes of the two schools' undergraduate bodies.

Protesting his ignorance of the details of President Hutchins' new educational plan for the University of Chicago, Professor Dewey, whose special field is educational philosophy, consented to make a few general remarks about it. "His ultimate ideals seem to be fine, but I have no idea as to how he is going to carry them out. It doesn't seem to me that postponing examinations to the end of the second year will work very well unless checked up by some very efficient tutorial system. I do not think it advisable that a university should concentrate on its ablest students and leave the mass pretty much to look after themselves." He said that this may be a misconception of Chicago's plan, but that at least it was the opinion of many people.