The Portland daily press., 1897-02-24
LIFE AT HARVARD.
A Portland Boys Observations on College
Life.
Harvard College,
Feb. Goth, 1897.


To the Editor of the Press:
Now that the college term is half
finished you may perhaps be interested
to take a look at the first half year.
Football and the Presidential election
were very engrossing subjects at the be-
ginning of the term. zach political party
had it's representative club. and each
political club joined hands with its
fellows to make the political demonstra-
lions big success. The so-Galled Har-
ward conservatism was thrown aside. In
deed in the mock presidential ballot
managed by the Crimson, the fres trade
policy was neglected and protection went
ahead by big margin. The football
was truthfully recorded by the news
papers, and needs no repetition.
An important resolution adopted by
the Faculty was put int practice this
year, The proclamation reads as follows:
"The administrative board Of Harvard
college, holding that the handing In by
a student of written work not his own Is
dishonorabls, proposes to separate from
the college a student guilty of such con-
duct, and to post his name on the college
bulletin boards. The dean In oomment-
ing on this course in his annual report
says: "My hope is that either self respect
Of fear will make the offence impossible,
4 and my ultimats hope is
higher right for Harvard college to main
tain that she stands for truth"
A question which has met with much
discussion this year Is the maintenance
Of college infirmary. The need of such
institution has for long time been sore
ly felt. A student who Is TO i'll to attend
his lectures cannot without great inoon.
yenienee be treated in his room or go
home, or can he without considerable ex-
pense 90 to the Cambridge hospital.
Clsarly the support Of the intirmary must
fell upon the student body and the way
this can be done with the least individual
expense seems to he contained in the plan
that each student be assessed So annual
ly On his term bill. This plan places the
infirmary in the light Of an accident
policy and practically insures its support.
In d recent letter to you 1 mentioned
the trouble which the corporation and
the senior class were having about the
tree exercises on class day. The corpora
Uiun, it will be remembered, were opposed
to the exercises ON account OF their
roughness, while the seniors, backed By
most of tho under4g graduates supported
them out of loyalty TO Il long established
custom. The matter has now been salts
factoFily adjusted. and those who blamed
the corporation most bitterly are sur
prisai to find that body by no means as
hard hearted aud narrow minded as they
had thought them. The reforms adopted
keep the same tree, but hang tile zone OF
flowers only six or seven feet from the
around. with the floral EN- Dlems on the
belt instead of above 1t. The men will
not wear football costumes as before, but
will enter the scriInmage in citizens
dlvthing, or in uniform approved by
the com mittee. The element of roughness
which has heretofore bean characteristic
of the game will thus be distinctly
eliminated. The seniors have also de-
cided to begin wearing the graduating
can and gown after the April recess.
This seems an excellent idea, for why
should candidate for the A. b. degree
be denied the opportunity to advertise
himself as much when he can do 1t In go
modest manner
A decided stand has now been adopted
by the students in regard to the use of
firearms and explosives in college celebra
tions. A petition strongly deprecating
this method of celebrating and signed by
nearly one thousand undergraduates was
recently addressed to the Faculty in be-
half of several students who had Thoughts
lessly offended.
The university lectures this year have
covered wide range OF subjects, and
have proved of great interest and value.
Among them may be mentioned the
Gresk Archaeology course delivered by
Professor Doepfeld, secretary of the Ger
man Archaeological society at Athens !;
those on American Colonization by Pro-
lessor Fiske of Harvard; those on the
French and English Drama. by members
of the French department; and the
course on Mediaeval Art BY Professor
Moore of Harvard. The university has
generously opened most of the lecture
courses to the public.
Tn conclusion it seems fitting to remark
that the first half year was we'll rounded
off by our reconciliation with Yale.
Delegates from both colleges, after good
deal of wraugling have succeeded in
signing a tleaty of peace which will
afford our delighted athletic enthusiasts
the pleasure of witnessing once Inors a
nesting of Crimson and Blue, upon the
gridiron. NJ. w.