Report Card

¶ The Ford Foundation announced the formation of a Board on Overseas Training and Research to be headed by the University of North Carolina's President Gordon Gray. Its purpose: to increase the number of Americans qualified to serve the U.S. abroad in educational, governmental and technical posts. First step: 100 fellowships for work and study in Asia and the Middle East.

¶ Four history students at California's St. Mary's College decided to take a quick public poll, asked 264 citizens in downtown Oakland a few questions on important current events. Sample question: "What is the Point Four Program?" Answers: technical assistance to underdeveloped nations (correct), 5%; some sort of foreign aid, 1.3%; no idea at all, 93.7%.

¶ With $444 incampus traffic fines paid by faculty members, Indiana University added a prize to its historical library: the journal kept by Chaplain A. Y. Humphreys of the U.S.S. Constitution in the War of 1812. Wrote the chaplain: "The last bone of fresh beef we brought out from Boston was picked by the first lieutenant at dinner today, and unless we shortly fall in with something of a prize, salt junk and biscuit must be our portion . . ." But then, "Old Ironsides" captured a British schooner and Chaplain Humphreys wrote: "A perfect slop ship and grocery store . . . bountiful cheer for Christmas."

¶ Answering a questionnaire from the student newspaper, Columbia's board of trustees stated a clear policy towards Communists on the campus: "[Columbia] would not countenance the presence of an avowed Communist on the teaching staff . . . [Academic] freedom, like other freedoms, can unfortunately be abused . . ."

¶ A survey by the NewYork Times showed that Roman Catholic education in the U.S. had reached an alltime high in 1952: about 4,000,000 students (a 35% increase in ten years) were enrolled in more than 11,500 schools and colleges, and some $130 million was being spent to increase the school plant. Estimated enrollment by 1960: 5,000,000.