CHAPEL

Harvard has long prided itself on an institution probably unique in American colleges: voluntary chapel. In practically every other institution in the country attendance at morning prayers is compulsory. There is a grave possibility at the present time, however, that chapel here will have to lose its voluntary character or cease to exist, if the interest of the undergraduates in its future does not increase materially. The figures of the Phillips Brooks House Chapel Committee report show that the daily attendance this year has been as low as 30, with a general average since December 1 of about 45. These figures include the choir, which consists of approximately 15 men.

This large falling-off will be generally laid to the small enrolment of the College. On the surface this seems to be the case, but the Chapel Committee's report gives some very illuminating statistics, which show that though on March 1 the size of the College had decreased 43 per cent. over 1916-17, the chapel attendance had decreased well over 51 per cent. Some other cause must therefore be looked for.

This other cause seems undoubtedly to be the general apathy of the undergraduates toward the chapel, and this apathy is largely due to a physical reason. In the years before the building of the Freshman dormitories the daily chapel attendance was generally over 120. Since the class of 1918 moved into the new halls, however, the yearly averages have gradually decreased. The only possible interpretation of this fact is that the distance from the dormitories to Appleton Chapel has kept the succeeding Freshman classes from forming the chapel-going habit. An entire generation of college classes has now lived in the dormitories and this habit has consequently been lost. If not formed during a man's first year in college it is difficult to form at all.

If, therefore, the chapel is to be supported as it should be, it becomes the duty of all undergraduates, particularly the Freshmen, to do their part toward keeping it in existence. No one wants compulsory chapel and there is little chance of it being advocated, but the present institution must not be allowed to die. An individual resolution to go to chapel at least twice a week would form a good beginning and would cause many students to start attending the morning services regularly. Let the undergraduates see for themselves whether or not the chapel is worth saving.