Salzburg Seminar

Last night's announcement by the Salzburg Seminar that there are four openings on its staff for Juniors and Seminar presents a few undergraduates with one of the most interesting and rewarding activities which Harvard has to offer. On the surface the seminar offers a summer trip to Europe and a chance to meet and live with about 100 highly intelligent Europeans. More important, however, it gives the undergraduate an opportunity to work on one of the most significant American contributions to recovery and international understanding in Europe.

After three years of operation in Austria, the seminar has an alumni body of almost 1000 in 17 countries of both East and West. The students who attended the summer sessions--and they were not students in the ordinary sense, since many already had their Doctor's Degrees and were established in journalism, civil service, theater, art, music, or teaching--have spend six weeks studying all aspects of American culture with leading American professors. This academic focus makes the Seminar unique among organization working for international understanding, for it bases friendship and appreciation of other viewpoints on common work land study. A sociological project in Germany, the performance of American music in many countries, and the production of American drams translated by the students themselves are but a few of the common undertakings which have grown out of relationships developed at the Seminar.

Harvard has a direct interest in all this. The Seminar was started here by graduate students in the University. It is sponsored by the Student Council and draws its administrative staff from the undergraduate body. Members of the faculty have taken part in each session. Unfortunately, however, direct participation is limited to the few staff and faculty members who can be accommodated at Leopoldskron, the Seminar's castle home. Since the school is conducted must be considered as taking a place from a student, any increase is undesirable.

But the Seminar does represent Harvard's commitment to the intellectual and ideoilogical recovery of Europe. And it is a commitment which deserves the University's encouragement and cooperation.