The Freshman Crew.

The class crews do not usually begin work until after the Christmas vacation, but this year each crew entered into some sort of training during the fall. During the football season, the '89 crew formed itself into a scrub football team, while '90, '91 and '92 rowed on the river until the floats were taken up. Since the vacation all the crews except the freshmen have taken advantage of the open weather and have been practicing on the river.

The freshmen worked in the gymnasium until the tank was finished, and are rowing there three times a week. Walter Alexander, '87, stroke of last year's 'varsity, has been coaching them, but they have not as yet secured a regular coach. The men who are trying for the crew are, with a few exceptions, of good size, and their principal faults are due to their lack of experience. They all lack control of their bodies, and hence their rowing is very irregular. The body swing is carried too far at both ends and results in "slumping" at the finish and falling forward at the full reach. The crew shoot out their hands at the finish with such a jerk that the oars do not come out of the water cleanly, and the boat receives a series of jars which would be fatal to a shell. The following are the men who are trying for the crew, with the individual faults:-

1. Hubbard-154 pounds. Is slow at both ends of the stroke, does not get enough heave with his back, hence breaks his arms too soon.

2. Jones-158 pounds. Rowed in place of Dewey, 155 pounds, who was absent. His rowing is loose. He should endeavor to sit up and keep his shoulders back. He makes too much work of it.

3. Rantoul-150 pounds. Breaks his arms too soon and falls forward at full reach. He is inclined to meet his oar.

4. Porter-158. Was absent and Hunt, 158 pounds, took his place. He has a bad break now in his back and does not get enough heave with his body.

5. Steadman-164 pounds. Loses control of himself at both ends of the stroke. Should sit up to his work better and not reach around.

6. Goddard-174 pounds. Has the common fault of jerking his oar out of the water and should sit up better at the finish.

7. Kidder, (captain), -157 pounds. Overreaches and should limber up; he is too stiff.

8. Watriss-159 pounds. Overreaches. His oar does not travel steadily through the water, and is pulled out at the finish with a jerk.

The second crew is made up of new men, and their rowing is not very far advanced yet. The men are, Jones, Thomas, Weed, Latham, Hunt, Chase and Cheney.