The Education of a College President
Rich, J.C.
The Education of a College President Dr. Hopkins of Dartmouth "Solves" the Jewish Problem By J.C. Rich BACK in 1922, Um late A. Lawrence Ixjwell, then president of Harvard University, proposed a...
...I was in Europe almost immediately after the last war," he said, "and practically all with whom I talked were discussing the danger of racial antagonisms which had been so accentuated in Germany by the soldiers on their return finding- all of their institutions and alt of their professions dominated by a race which numbered only one percent of the population...
...The Jewish "race," he was told, dominated the institutions of higher learning and the genteel professions, and that's what the returning German soldiers were worried about They were not upset by their defeat in war...
...Similarly the racist* of the South blame the Negroes for anti-Negro discrimination, and when pogrom* against Irish Catholics were common, there were intellectuals like Dr...
...At a middle-class grouping, their social and economic aspirations were much the same as those of their neighbors in the same grouping...
...If that is the case, 'we can take this wet dishrag „f an opinion and fling-it back in the perspicacious doctor's face and tell htm to learn something about the facts of democratic life...
...By what grant of authority doe* Hopkins presume to establish a Nuremberg code of discriminatory laws to regulate the educational system of this country...
...Hopkins dare to rise in public and make pious slurs at the Irish...
...fremden« I«weB's (accessor at Harvard ia Prafeaaor Ismen A. Conant, a wizard in chemistry and a gentleman and scholar ia th* humanities...
...he really ought to set a quota against them if he means to get a trie sampling of our population in his establishment But a quota weighted against Jews hai nothing to do with logic or justice, it is strictly tka product of bias and baa* prejudice...
...It will confound the president's pious hokum to learn that Jews attend the Divinity Schools of our prominent universities, and that Christians are enrolled in Jewish theological seminaries...
...But the inanity of the likes or dislikes «t' a man like Hopkins can have serious consequences...
...nearly Dr...
...The Jews constituted an urban and middle class element in Germany...
...That's why they saust ha kept out of the colleges lest they prove that they are suited, after all...
...Hopkins, and its aim is to "Christianise its students...
...And the world recorded with relief—and no little amused satisfaction—that the Nam failed in the race for the atomic bomb because, in part at least, of their mania for pernc-« ul«ng Jews...
...I wonder bow much all of us must >- ¦· ¦ *' liefere we arrive at the conclusion thai inflicting injustice ami humiliation on fellow beings will not promote civilization or the happlnes of mankind...
...It took a lot of Christian forbearance, an increase in the number of Irish settlers, plus a few good, well-aimed dm nieks before the anti-Irish sentiment was checked...
...In a desire to foster the education of their children, the community granted a charter to Dartmouth College...
...they were not uneasy about the upheaval in the entire economy of their country...
...I wonder what it takes to teach a college president some common sense...
...It is curious that no one considers it a flaw in the Jaws' character that they flock to gana eat shops for their livelihood, aar 4a bright and cultured aten think it evil of the Chinese to "intrude" into the laundry business, er of th* Italians to lay claim on ditch digging and track haying, or of t be Poles to go in for mining, or of the Irish to desas ? strato a beat far hod carrying, or of tha Nefro** to devote themselves to menial service...
...When he talks about "privileges," therefore, let him first mind those under which he operates and be careful not to abuse them...
...Germany developed any number of such experts, not the least of them one by the name of Herr Adolf Schicklgruber and others named Alfred Rosenberg ami Julius Streicher...
...Hopkins' scientific capacity and pedagogic objectivity that he was impressed with the observations on "race" of those with whom he talked...
...he is one of the group which directed werk an the atomic booth...
...There is no longer an Irish "problem" in this country...
...As long as it fulfills these obligations, it is relieved of taxes and it has the right to grant titles, degrees and other emoluments of learning...
...It's entirely legitimate for Jews to domi iiate the manufacture of clothing, it seems, but evil of them to aspire to the professions...
...Moreover, certain Christian universities, founder, and operated by religions bodies...
...In our own country, I have already mentioned the pogroms against...
...Cultured men like Dr...
...there must have been a number of brilliant practitioners and research men kept out of the profession to satisfy the whim of prejudiced college authorities...
...Suppose, then, that discriminatory bias is extended over the entire field of science and general education, will not our nation suffer because of the personal predilections of intolerant Committees on Admission...
...Albert Kiaaatoin and Dr...
...Dartmouth is a 'Christian college," says Dr...
...President Conant'a stain preoccupation recently hss been with research into sternic energy...
...By way of explanation, but not at all in apology, Dr...
...r the last war, but that they were experts in the matter of "race" can hardly be questioned...
...Hopkins and hi* like think that there is some inborn malice in the Jews that makes them want to go to college and he decries the "vehemence of agitation on the part of the Jews in this country for a conferring of right* which, if granted, would realty constitute special privilege...
...Christian" hoodlums massacred the poverty-stricken, toil harassed Irish Catholics in New York and New England while their mere genteel brethren kept them out of schools, colleges, the professions and public offices...
...in Germany after the first World War...
...It must be considered a mark of Dr...
...Hopkins understand that these people, obviously inferior in "race" all of them, are net suited for higher education...
...They were grousing because they all wanted to go to college and to become doctor* and lawyers, but the Jews wouldn't let them...
...do not practice discrimination against Jew* or other non-communicanti, but freely admit them to their liberal arts and professional courses, a practice redounding to tha glory of learning and profit of society, not to mention the advantage to the colleges themselves...
...Will not the United States have become the victim of the bigotry of ju*t « few men...
...With all that, Dr...
...If Dr...
...Hopkins talked aft...
...Hepkin« »taten that the quota against Jews was established at Dartmouth as a result of hi* own observation...
...There is no way of telling with whom it was that Dr...
...Invested with a social function, both Hopkins and the institution which he heads can be forced to toe the mark and fulfill their pledge to a democratic society...
...It is not completely suppressed to this day, bat no longer will * Dr...
...Hopkins will take the trouble to look through the class books of his own college, I'm sure he will Ilnd that the bulk ot his student body is comprised of the sons of merchants, financiers, professional itiei and others from urban centers of population...
...Hopkins who exhorted the Irish to "behave" so as not to provoke anti-Catholic sentiment in the country...
...By the accident of hi* position at Dartmouth, he exercises a certain authority, but it is limited even in respect to his college and can be further abridged...
...I'm sure they already have serious consequences in the medical and dental professions where Jewish and Italian students have been systematically excluded in the past decade...
...The charter prescribes the functions of the college and vests it with certain duties and responsibilities...
...Hopkins still justifies his irrational dislike of Jews on the score of the experience in Germany, and that's pretty good, for see how well the (•'ermans solved the Jewish "problem...
...baby froaa public view...
...Now, the supposition that the Jews dominated the colleges and professions of Germany or any country is one of the myths carefully nurtured by the apostles of rare and blood supremacy...
...Hopkins' approach to the problem of anti-Semitism is exactly the same as has been used at all times and in all countries to provide a moral basis lor the persecution of all minorities...
...it removed the door-tie...
...the Jews had beat them to it But what it was that the returning Jewish soldiers of the defeated Reich were worried about, the good Doktor Hopkins tailed to determine...
...Agriculture and industry had been pretty well closed to them by the restrictions of medieval society, and they naturally tended to settle in the cities for safety and to engage in mercantile enterprises for their livelihood...
...In this research he leaned he* vary a* the goni aw of many sciea-iistn, not the least af thesa Dr...
...Irish immigrants in the 1840's...
...Twenty-three yi ? have passed and now another college, •resided', Dr...
...And the same goes for Italians, Negroes or any other grouping which men of the Hopkins frame of mind view with distaste...
...This is pretty blasphemous talk in view of the fact that his ,practice belies his pretensions...
...they were not disturbed by the disorganization of government and society at home...
...Liee Meitaer, both Jews and both exiles fro** their countries because of Nasi discriminations against Jews...
...The truth is that the German Jews had no greater proportional representation in the universities and the professions than any other group...
...Ernest Hopkins of Dartim ¦ th, announces with an air of smug pride that the wain«rv« rlauene is indeed in effect at hi* institution, that Jewish students are kept down to an "appropriate" minimum, an are other "undesirable" elementi...
...President Hopkins, like President Lowell before him, believes that the Jews must help in accepting discriminatory restrictions and must not be too vehement in their protest...
...Dartmouth is not an institution for the propagation of sectarian belief, and it certainly is not a seminary for religious instruction...
...Rich BACK in 1922, Um late A. Lawrence Ixjwell, then president of Harvard University, proposed a ineUiiliie quota «f«inet Jewish students in the in ¦titutioa he handed There was each a furio ua reaction to hia proposal that the Hai vard authorities decided to refer the matter to a Coouaittee of the Faculties The cosnaMttcee did the expected...
...ThIS business of blaming anti-Jewish bias on the Jews is nothing new...
...What arrogant talk is this about "rights" and "privileges...
...Hopkins has a penchant for orotund and somewhat blowzy verbiage, but if the statement means what it says, then it indicates that it is his opinion that Jews may ask for a college education only as a special favor and not on the same basis as the rest of the populate ion...
Vol. 28 • September 1945 • No. 35
