THE TENNIS QUESTION.

EDITORS HARVARD HERALD : To an impartial observer the tennis question appears to be one that the Tennis Association might grapple with successfully. Had the 'Varsity nine last winter reserved the cage in the gymnasium for their own use entirely, so that they might practice in it whenever the spirit moved them, thus shutting every one else out and leaving the cage empty five-sixths of the day, the absurdity of the thing would have appeared to all; and it would not have seemed to be a question beyond solution. No, the 'Varsity was allowed the first choice of hours and the other clubs selected in turn the hours left unoccupied. Why cannot we adopt the same plan in the matter of our tennis courts (I use the word "our" advisedly since the courts are not private property)? Let those who hold the courts now select the hours that suit them best for using them, and let the remaining hours be taken by those who sign for them, and pay a fee towards the expenses of their care. But first the Tennis Association should take absolute control of all the courts, number them, keep them marked and rolled, and have a book in which the number of the courts are entered, with the names of those who use them, and the hours they are used, clearly stated. All who use the courts should pay a moderate sum to cover expenses. And those who have entered their names, and paid their dues for the season should be entitled to play at any hour on any court that has not been pre-engaged for that hour.

Surely the association is equal to this responsibility, especially since the expenses would be prepaid by the players. By this plan the regular players can play in their favorite courts, which are theirs for certain prescribed hours selected by themselves, and the casual or infrequent players may have a chance to play a pleasant game without fear of trespassing. Then we would no longer see the stupid sight of acres of courts empty, but forbidden to a large number of men needing and anxious for the exercise and amusement which these courts might afford them.

A STUDENT.