LONGEST FALL CREW SEASON NEARS CLOSE

The Fall crew season after breaking all records for late practice will come to an end on Friday, the present cold weather having slowed up the work on the river considerably. When consulted concerning the weather prospects for the immediate future, the Blue Hill observatory at Milton predicted that ice would form, in a few days, along the river banks, but that in all probability there would be no solid freeze. A sudden drop in temperature at any time, however, would accomplish this. At any rate, the two remaining floats and the motor boat are to be taken in and the crew work brought to a close by the end of this week.

The coaches agree that the Fall season has been a success. The squads have been well organized and well drilled in the new stroke. Coach Stevens will begin work shortly on a plan for the winter to keep the oarsmen in condition. Harvard has completed one step towards the spring contests and is about to enter upon another.

"We are out to win in all our races this year," said Captain Henry addressing a record breaking squad of 160 prospective crew men on September 26, and it is with this thought in mind that the University crews have been working all fall.

Coach Edward A Stevens has instituted his system throughout the various branches of rowing. By taking an oar himself in the "A" crew for several weeks, he has throughly demonstrated his method to members of the University squad. And his assistants have done their job well among the other crews. The oarsmen have studied the new stroke with particular attention to the slide, blade work, and body swing. Since the work has been chiefly in fundamentals no races have been attempted although often the crews have been given short sprints to liven up matters. Coach Stevens has not tried to grade the men. Two crews were early made up of Juniors and Seniors and a third of Sophomores, and all have appeared pretty evenly matched.

Perhaps, never before in Harvard rowing, have the crews had such a splendid start. The mild weather this Fall has enabled the work to be continued much later than in previous years. After the Christmas vacation the men will be given a rest until after the mid-year examinations when work will begin again on the machines and in the tank. It is hoped in this way to prevent the "staleness" which is so apt to creep into crew routine.

The coaches have devised a method of training which will keep the squad in condition during the winter. The men who are not out for another sport are to be divided into groups of ten, headed by a captain. These groups will run for twenty minutes three times a week with perhaps a ten minute climb on the Stadium stairs as a finisher. This plan has been used in other universities and has proved itself highly successful. Also the boathouse and tank will be open every day to any of the men who care to use them. This form of exercise however will not be compulsory. Coach Newell's 150 pound men will train with the varsity squad this winter. One of the chief problems facing Coach Stevens is to find a stroke. He has been experimenting this Fall and in the Spring should be ready to pick his man. Among the various candidates have been S. N. Brown '24, stroke of the Junior Varsity last spring, R. C. Storey '24, J. R. Hoover '24, and Elisha Canning '26. J. W. Adie '26, who stroked last year's Freshman crew, has been playing football, but will make his bid for the stroke position in the Spring. For the other places in the boat there are a large number of experienced men to pick from. Eight former letter men have been rowing this Fall. Of these, two, Brown and Storey, have been mentioned before. The rest include Captain B. M. Henry '24, D. S. Holder '24, C. H. Hollister '24, J. D. Jameson '24, S. B. Kelley '25, and G. S. Mumford '25. Eleven out of the twelve members of last year's Freshman squad have been out, and since the end of the football season, Standish Bradford '24, A. L. Hobson '24, and C. J. Hubbard '24 have been rowing. These men, together with many others who have won their numerals in previous years, will form a nucleus for the Spring squad.

The 150 pound crews have been organized better this year than ever before. A large number of light weight men have been given an opportunity to row and under the coaching of Fred Newell, this department has developed to a great extent.

Freshmen Slow to Start

Coach Shaw has not had the full Freshman material to work with this Fall on account of football. This branch of rowing is always the last to get under way, but the three crews which have been at work have shown some good material for the coming season.

It can now be said that Harvard has a true system of rowing. Every crew which leaves the boathouse uses the same stroke. The whole staff of coaches is working in unison for the races in the Spring. With the situation-clarified by the recent report on the exact status of the various rowing authorities there is every indication of a new era in University crew