Education: For Sober Reunions

Ten years ago Lafayette College’s President William Mather Lewis hit upon a plan to keep reunioning alumni sober. He invited them to free classes where they might refresh their minds and their respect for Alma Mater. Last week many another U. S. college had adopted Dr. Lewis’ idea.

Biggest alumni school was at University of Chicago, where 3,500 alumni began an eight-day term of lectures, discussions and movies, interspersed with the usual dinners, excursions and shenanigans. Chicago’s alumni school, whose purpose is not to stuff but to stimulate, had as lecturers President Robert Maynard Hutchins, U. S. Assistant Attorney General Thurman Arnold, NLRB’s Chairman J. Warren Madden, University professors. Alumni heard lectures on What Is Progressive Education? Can Man Make Good? What Can We Expect from the New Pope?

At Ohio State, 1,000 alumni this week gathered for a similar series of lectures on the general theme: What Does the Future Hold? Some subjects: Propaganda Analysis (by Alumnus Clyde R. Miller, 11), Restoration Saints and Modern Sinners, Tomorrow’s Newspaper, Movies of a Cow’s Stomach.

Soberest group of alumni were 150 who were to attend the alumni school at University of Michigan, established a year after Lafayette’s. Michigan’s alumni were to put in a full week (taking up to five courses of four lectures each), paid $10 tuition. Most popular course: National and International Relations. Also popular: golf instruction by University coaches.