A Letter from Professor James Concerning Celebrations.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE DAILY CRIMSON.- Dear Sirs: May I be permitted, as one of the members of the faculty most deeply interested in the success of the recent action about athletic celebrations, to make a few remarks about it to your readers?

The resolution to entrust the conduct of such celebrations to the good sense of the students alone, passed the faculty by what was practically a unanimous vote. An approach to unanimity is not of very frequent occurrence when that body votes on matters of general policy, and in this case it proves how strong a desire now exists there to let the students govern themselves, wherever such government appears likely to succeed.

It may fairly be assumed that whenever a member of the faculty votes for restrictive measures, it is because he doubts whether in that particular case the students are able to regulate the matter themselves. In the present instance the doubt has never been as to the propriety of celebrating victories-the more victories, and the more celebrations of them, the better, is, I feel sure, the sentiment of every man in the faculty, but as to certain features of the celebrations, the loud explosions which make the college a formidable nuisance to the neighborhood by keeping people awake and imperilling such as are seriously ill; and the danger to trees and buildings from lighting bonfires in the yard. Now I think it will be apparent to everyone that the faculty cannot practically divest itself of responsibility for either of these evils if they occur. Whatever system of government it may adopt, it is responsible to the citizens of Cambridge on the one hand, and to the Corporation of the college on the other; and whatever votes it may pass, votes of prehibition or of "laissez-faire," the town-people will rightly call it to account for nocturnal uproars, and the Corporation will rightly call it to account for damage to college property or to the beauty of the yard. Every member of the faculty shares this responsibility, and I for one, eager as I was to see this vote passed, should be the first to urge its repeal, if, instead of lessening, it were permanently to increase our liability to these two kinds of danger. But I cannot admit the possibility of this latter alternative. I feel, as do my colleagues, that the sense of responsibility comes with freedom, and that a Harvard student can feel no greater challenge to his self control and control of others than when he realizes that the repute and safety of the college yard are committed entirely to his hands.

I should like to add one word on my individual account. What I personally wish we might see growing up here is a complete system of self-government by the students,-the faculty only regulating studies, and having nothing to do with conduct except in altogether unusual emergencies. If there could be but one crime, "behavior disgraceful to the college," and one punishment, expulsion, that would, it seems to me, be the ideal state of things. But it is obvious that such a consummation will have to be reached, if it ever is reached, step by step; and between now and then the students will have to learn to deal with conduct in each other of which they disapprove, in a way of which we have now hardly a foretaste. Public opinion in Harvard College is to-day omnipotent in matters of outward form, dress, manners, language, etc. But I think no one will deny that it is shame-faced and cowardly and too often unwilling to raise its voice where deeper matters are concerned. This passivity of public opinion here is the great obstacle to investing our students with power, and one of the most damaging things to the college in the eyes of the outer world. But any tone can be changed by the cumulative energy of individuals working in the same direction for a series of years; and if, every year, twenty men with position, resolution and tact, would make it their business to resent offenses against the tone of the college in character and conduct, we should end by imbuing the very atmosphere with an honor, manliness, pride and delicacy, to which all things could be entrusted, and which would be the most precious thing a young fellow coming here would gain,- worth far more to him than his learning or his degree. There is no reason why, in a little community like this, the tone of character,- the fashionable and conventional tone of character, I mean, for I speak not of the recesses of individuals' breasts-should not be far higher than it is in the world outside. It is so already in some respects. But it cannot develop without aggressive criticism, and the feeling in each student that he is in some degree responsible for the behavior of the community. This little matter of the good lame of the yard will be one way in which men can give their shove in the right direction, by not only passively but actively promoting celebrations of a handsome and orderly kind.

I am afraid I have been too long; but the matter, in itself small, seems to me to have such extremely important bearings on the future that I cannot hold my tongue.

I am, very truly yours,

WM. JAMES.