JUMPING JACKS

It is a queer psychology, which the Student Council attributes to Harvard undergraduates. Admitting for the moment that their cheering has been thoroughly unsatisfactory, the Council evidently believes that they can be made to bellow hoarsely and continuously by the trained antics of competitively selected cheer leaders. Instead of men who have won records of achievement on a half-dozen teams leading their classmates in a spontaneous burst of approval, the new plan provides for a quintet of expert dancers directing a trained chorus of "Rah-Rah-Boys". At least such is the ideal toward which the new plan tends.

It is not quite true to say, however, that the undergraduate cheering has been thoroughly unsatisfactory. Newspaper correspondents were unanimous in their opinion after the last Yale game that the Harvard cheering was as good as any that has ever taken place at a Harvard-Yale game. It is true that Crimson spectators do not generate much vocal enthusiasm over minor games; but why should they? Harvard cheering has in the past truly represented the opinions and temperament of its undergraduates. If the intention of the Council's trained leaders is to cause much thunder at all times, its aim and end is hypocrisy.

Rather than be led to strain throats at the bidding of men whom they will not respect, as they do the present cheer leaders, undergraduates will resent the stimulation of artificial enthusiasm. The Council must recognize that the spirit of undergraduate Harvard is not exactly like that of other institutions; and that therefore the methods of other institutions will not succeed here.