Ph.D.

To become a Doctor of Philosophy, a scholar must write a thesis making at least one original contribution to human knowledge. This grows harder (or sillier) every year. Students thrilled last week to read about Thomas Walsh Jr. of Chicago, a student who gave his life for his Ph.D. Chemistry Student Walsh and his friend Harold Foard of West Virginia left Huanuco, Peru in November to explore the unknown headwaters of the Paute River in Southern Ecuador, to gather data for Walsh's doctorate. For two years they had been in Oroya, Peru on the staff of New York's Cerro de Pasco Copper Corp.

They entered the Maranon river at Huanuco. For a week a crew of stocky, snub-nosed Indian porters pushed them upstream in dugouts. Then the Indians were sent back. Walsh and Foard went on alone in a strong high-sided boat that had been sent from New York in sections.

Last week Harold Foard returned to Peru alone with a letter. Two weeks after they left their Indian porters, the explorers' collapsible boat smashed up in some rapids. Overboard went duffle bags & data. The two men were alone in a steaming, fever-soaked jungle where only the birds and the tops of the writhing vines saw the sun. Thomas Walsh died in his friend's arms and was buried in a narrow trench scooped out of the rotten ground. Harold Foard was picked up by Indians and carried on to Monzon, Peru. The letter he carried said:

"Mother, I am making Foard go on for aid. Can't move. God save us. Please help Foard marry Clarissa, he is your son now. Dad, I am dead--save mother." Clarissa is a girl in Lima, Peru.

Modern Major General

I am the very pattern of a modern Major-General; I've information vegetable, animal and mineral. Wheezy, ruddy retirement looms before U. S. major-generals as they approach 64. But Major General William Kuthven Smith, superintendent of the Military Academy at West Point is stocky, active. A cadet from 1888 to 1892, he was for eleven years an instructor in mathematics, philosophy, ordnance &; gunnery. Truly he might have said looking about for something to do after he retires from the active list and the superintendency this week: "I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical; I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical; about binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o'news--with many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse!" * He has also a pretty knowledge of astronomy, and chemistry he knows but does not care for. Many offers came in. Last week this Modern Major General made his choice: not to bother with matters mathematical but to return to his native state, head the military department of the University of the South at Sewanee, Tenn. General Smith went to West Point in 1928 as superintendent, found it "in excellent shape academically," but not so good for training soldiers. He made extensive plans to enlarge it but most of these he turns over, as yet unconsummated, to his successor Major General William Dunward Connor. General Smith planned to purchase 15,000 acres more for the reservation, to protect the water supply, furnish additional grounds for maneuvers and artillery and rifle ranges. Congress authorized the purchase but has not yet given the necessary $1,500,000. General Smith pointed out last week that West Point faced three alternatives: "It can be moved and its present expensive plant abandoned, it can be enlarged and the place be made available, as far as I can see, for at least 100 years, or it can remain here as it is and deteriorate."

As superintendent, General Smith has much the same duties as a college president. (His subordinate, Lieut-Colonel Robert C. Richardson, Commandant of Cadets, is West Point's dean.) He is liberal, much-loved by the cadets. He rescinded the Academy rules against riding in automobiles but enforces vigilantly the regulations against pocket-money and drinking (which is punishable by court-martial). During his tenure the Army and Navy have not yet been able to see eye-to-eye on football (save for post season charity matches) but he believes there may soon be a rapprochement. Last week General Smith, after 44 years, got from the football team his West Point "A" and a gold football. "I can now wear a large 'A' on my sweater," said the Modern Major General. "Wouldn't I look fine in one of them?"

Encyclopedia Corp.

In almost every U. S. college are bright students who, for cash down, furnish their fellows with essays, theses, reports. By the U. S. business credo, such a small, good business should be enlarged into a major industry. Last week it seemed in the way of becoming one. At Princeton appeared one R. J. Davey, a personable, beknickered youth who had already visited Yale and Harvard seeking testimonials for a service which sells essays, book-reviews, theses and speeches. His firm, Standard Encyclopedia Corp. of Chicago, offers a $69.50 encyclopedia and a "research bureau" for subscribers. According to his Princeton prospects, Salesman Davey frankly explained that the service was not yet in actual operation. He was getting signed testimonials, on college stationery. Would a Princeton man be willing to give one in exchange for ten years of the service, gratis? Salesman Davey departed Princeton, leaving behind him a small flurry of editorials. The Alumni Weekly published the facts, said: "We hope this information will be spread throughout the maligned Middle West. If any college man there is approached by an agent of this public-spirited concern, he may know that endorsements alleged to have been written by Yale, Harvard or Princeton undergraduates are necessarily specious--that, by the admission of the agent himself, they must be either forged or perjured." In Chicago last week Standard Encyclopedia Corp., which has been in business since 1909, denied that it had made any extraordinary offers, suggested that its salesmen had perhaps "overstepped themselves" in describing the research bureau.

Deficits

Like Cornell last month (TIME, April 18), Yale University sent out word last week to its alumni that money is needed to balance this year's budget. In the post-War depression, it was pointed out, the graduates helped raise nearly a million dollars. This year a deficit of more than half a million is expected. Yale's income has dropped $372,000, because of reductions in dividends and interest defaults. As if to answer frequent criticism that Yale, like many another big college, has gone on a building spree, the appeal for funds gives figures showing how income is spent. Last year 23% went for maintenance of plant and buildings; 77% for strictly educational purposes. Next year Yale plans to employ 20 less instructors than at present but the same number of professors: 349.

P:Last fortnight Columbia University announced that, even with economies of $575,000 in next year's budget, the deficit will come to nearly $600,000. No salaries of academic officers are to be reduced. President Nicholas Murray Butler begged that Columbia's 50,000 living" degree and certificate holders give $10 this year and the next and the next.

"Los Angelos"

Last week Los Angeles was having geography-trouble. Choleric grew the civic-minded Los Angelenos and their Chamber of Commerce. To the California Board of Education went their protests, for in geographies used throughout the schools of the State, Los Angeles is mentioned as follows: In International Geography compiled by 70 authors, the city is mentioned once as "Los Angelos." In Little Journeys Through California is a Los Angeles street scene of 1907. Modern Business Geography,published in 1930, has a shipping map showing one line going out of Los Angeles harbor.* World Geography, published in 1927, gives the city's population as 577,000 (it is 1,238,048), calls the harbor poor and the surrounding land a desert.

*The Pirates of Penzance. *There are 135.

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