The Conference Committee.

To-morrow the delegates from the several classes meet the Conference Committee of the Faculty for the purpose of considering a method of establishing a permanent means of conference between the students and the faculty. To their consideration is offered the following plan, which, although by no means perfect, is free from the objections urged against the various schemes which have been thus far proposed.

The basis of representation will be first stated, and the feasibility of the plan afterwards discussed. The student members of the committee shall consist of representatives from the

1. Four classes, two each, 8

2. CRIMSON, Advocate, Lampoon, one each, 3

3. Athletic Association, 1

4. Base-ball Association, 1

5. Foot-ball Association, 1

6. University Boat Club, 1

7. Scholars of highest rank from each of the upper classes, 3

8. Special members, 4

Total, 22

1. The plan of election of delegates at class meetings is open to many objections, and it would be decidedly unwise to choose all the delegates in this way. But the students as a body ought to have some representation, and election by classes is the most practicable way in which this can be accomplished. In order to avoid undue haste in the choice of delegates, it might be well to require their election by ballot. Another regulation might be that one, but only one, delegate shall be chosen who is especially interested in athletics, thus avoiding the danger, which is often experienced in colleges, of the athletic element overriding the general interests of the students. They should be elected at the first class meeting, and should serve during the year.

2. The college papers, as the exponents of student thought, most assuredly ought to be represented. For the influence which they exert is undoubtedly very great. The editors are men who are, by necessity. better acquainted with college matters in general, and better fitted to judge of the sentiment of the students, than any other men who might be selected. And in order to avoid any misunderstanding in interpreting to the students at large the decisions of the Conference Committee-which, of course, must be done through the columns of the papers-it would be a matter of the highest importance that the papers be represented. The manner of electing delegates could be left entirely to the papers themselves. Whenever a conference was announced, the editors would probably choose that one of their number who was especially interested in the question under consideration, and who was qualified to discuss it.

3, 4, 5, 6. It is perfectly proper that these four athletic organizations should be represented. Their position before the college is such as to give the opinion of their delegates the greatest weight; and no better representatives of Harvard's athletes could be found than is to be found among their officers. The delegates could be chosen at the annual meeting, to serve, like the class delegates, throughout the year. For reasons that will be seen later, it is not necessary that there should be more than one delegate from each of these organizations.

7. In a conference between faculty and students, scholarship as well as athletic skill, and literary ability should be represented. Let, therefore, those men who have led their respective classes the preceding year have places on the committee. In this way not only would scholarship be represented, but the services of men of marked ability would be secured; for if any one will take the trouble to glance over the list of those who have led their classes during past years, he will find the names of some of the finest men who have ever been graduated from an institution of learning. Let the undergraduate look at the men who have taken the highest rank within his short memory, and he will be convinced of this. Scholarship has none too much recognition at Harvard, not so much by any means as it deserves. These men might not be representatives of the mass of students, but they would be the conservative element, and would serve as an excellent balance-wheel.

8. This last is the most important feature of the plan. Whenever a question is to come up before the Conference Committee, the committee of the faculty, after consulting with the members of the student committee who are especially interested in the question under consideration, are to invite such students as are in their opinion best fitted to discuss, and most interested in the particular question which is to be brought up at the meeting. This obviates the difficulty of having so many permanent delegates on the committee as to make it cumbersome. The number need not be limited, but four would probably be a sufficient number.

So much for the plan in detail. There may be objections to it, but there are many evident advantages. In the first place that which is of prime importance, it would give a representative body of students, comprising as it would much of the athletic skill, the literary ability, and the scholarship of the college. The students would, directly or indirectly, take part in the election of nearly all the delegates. Secondly, the classes would be represented according to their seniority; for the offices of the athletic organizations and the positions on the several papers are mostly held by upper-class men. This is an important consideration, for there is need of experience in college matters, in order to effect an intelligent discussion of the topic which is brought to the attention of the committee. And yet by giving each class two delegates, no class would be entirely without representation. Thirdly, a committee chosen under this plan would have many of the advantages of a permanent deliberative body, and at the same time it would be possible to have a majority of delegates who were especially interested in the question under discussion. Let us suppose, for instance, that some athletic question is to be discussed; the four class delegates, the three editors from the papers, the four representatives from the athletic organizations, and the four students invited for their especial interest in the particular question, would give a two-thirds majority in the conference. The other third would be representatives of the sentiment of those not particularly interested in athletics, and this would be an exceedingly useful element. If, on the other hand, the question had no reference to college sports, it will be seen by glancing at the table that the athletic representatives would number scarcely one third of the committee. Moreover, it may be inferred that the delegate, like the legislator, will become more useful the longer he serves; and again by this plan there must always be a majority of experienced delegates, fifteen of the twenty-two.

The plan can be modified, perhaps, to good effect, but the main features of it are such as to give a representative and experienced delegation, easy to elect, and admirably fitted to serve as a medium between students and faculty.