[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 143 (Friday, September 23, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1702-E1703]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REED COLLEGE CENTENNIAL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 23, 2011

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, this year one of the nation's top 
liberal arts colleges in the heart of my Congressional District in 
Portland, Oregon is celebrating its centennial. Reed College began its 
first classes in 1911 with 50 students--26 men and 24 women--and five 
faculty members and has grown to 1,400 students and 135 faculty. 
Committed to intellectual rigours and academic freedom, Reed has served 
as a groundbreaking model for liberal arts colleges over the past 100 
years.
  Reed's commitment to academic excellence is reflected in the student 
body and faculty. All students are expected to complete an original 
work in a major subject area--a senior thesis. A higher percentage of 
Reed graduates go on to earn Ph.Ds across fields than do graduates of 
all but three other U.S. colleges and universities. Students regularly 
win Fulbright, Watson, National Science Foundation, and other 
fellowships, and the faculty has received national recognition for its 
commitment to teaching.
  While ``Reedies''--as students call themselves--are widely known for 
studying--sleeping--and studying some more, they engage in a broad 
range of campus and civic activities. One such tradition dates back to 
1913 and is

[[Page E1703]]

known as Canyon Day, in which students and community members come 
together to clean up and restore the ecosystem of the natural canyon 
and creek that meanders through campus.
  It is said the true mark of a Reed education is not conventional 
success, but a certain ``quality of thought, curiosity, and willingness 
to challenge received wisdom.'' For a hundred years Reed has remained a 
hallmark of rigorous scholarship and intellectual pursuit. I am honored 
to represent this distinguished institution and look forward to 
celebrating future landmark occasions.

                          ____________________