Potraits of Harvard Figures

Associate Professor of Music

These balmy spring days are not without their worries for the cop in his booth on Harvard Square. If you should ever happen to look at him around ten o'clock on Tuesdays, Thursdays, or Saturdays, you will see lines of worry and annoyance distorting his sturdy brow. True, is only the appearance of a litte brown Ford on the horizon which disturbs his poise; but in it is Professor Ballantine on his way to a class.

While the green finery in the yard and the early activity in the square hold his attention, his new toy steams ahead with magnificent disregard for housewives on their way to market. Brakes screech, ladies squeal, the policeman roars, but Mr. Ballantine, unruffled, speeds by with an air of quiet contemplation to the Music Building.

In the safety of the building his disposition finds more equable surroundings. To his class in Music 4 he simplifies and explains the technicalities of the great composers from Bach to Stravinsky. To accomplish this, he uses both his skill as a pianist and his serious, but rather whimsical, method of lecturing. The result is a satisfactory course for men who want to gain an appreciation of music. He may be criticized for his lack of poise on the lecture platform, which characterizes a Merriman' or an Kittredge, but his fortunately is subsidiary part of his teaching.

Smaller courses, such as his Brahms and Beethoven classes, provide Mr. Ballantine with an opportunity to teach men really interested in music and not with the vague "I want to learn about music" feeling that men in Music 4 possess. Conscientious always, his talent as a pianist and the humorous touches which he brings to his lectures make him a successful professor.

Away from the class room Mr. Balantine indulges in several interests. Leading the field, at the present moment, are flowers. Every guest who is entertained at his Trail Street home goes on forced tours to the newly constructed Plant Room or to the outside gardens. His success as a guest may be measured by his reaction to the plants. Even music has taken second place and the contrapuntal devices of a Bach fugue give way at any moment to the ever-present weeds in the garden. In fact the whole house had become garden conscious.

Administration officials said the housing program should place hundreds of millions of dollars into the effort to resuscitate the mighty construction industry which is gasping under the depression body blows. It will make money available to the home builder and home investor.

The Glass Bill will make it possible for small industries now unable to obtain credit through normal banking channels to get federal dollars without slashing through a mass of red tape. The Federal Reserve Banks are authorized to loan $280,000,000 and the RFC an additional $250,000,000