THE FRESHMAN CREW.

EDITORS HARVARD HERALD : Many friends who have watched the progress of the freshman crew from the beginning of the year, are surprised and pained to find that at this time, when the crew should be in its best form preparatory to going on the water, it seems somewhat weaker than at any time heretofore. Now, is it well for the freshmen to row the whole nine months of the school year? We can best answer this by examining the experience of the case in point. In so long a course of training as nine months, some of the best men who make up the first eight almost necessarily get disabled or get tired of the work, and their places must be filled by men who did not show up so well at first. If we look at the men who have taken the places of those who are either temporarily or wholly laid up, we find, with only one exception, that they are men who have rowed but two or three months at the most. This is easily explained. Few are willing to row on a second eight for such a length of time. They begin with all necessary enthusiasm but soon tire of the somewhat monotonous work. Thus we find the second eight continually growing smaller, and when vacancies occur these must be filled by men who have little experience. These troubles could be lessened in a great degree by beginning to row later in the season. If the crew began practising immediately after the holidays there would be sufficient time to get the best men of the class in good form by the time the river opened, and there would be no difficulty in keeping up the interest for so short a time. After the crew is once on the river there would be no danger of their losing interest. We do not under-estimate the worth of the crew, but on the contrary think their prospects excellent. Yet to one who has watched the progress of the present freshman crew, it seems that future freshman crews would do well not to begin training until Christmas.

B., '86.