Permanent Steel Stands to be Erected at the End of Stadium

Permanent steel stands seating approximately 18,000 persons will fill in the open end of Harvard Stadium next fall, it was announced last night by W. J. Bingham '16, Director of Athletics in the University. This announcement ends the problem which has been before the Harvard athletic authorities since the temporary wooden structure, which has been used for the last twenty years, was condemned two years ago by the Boston Building Commissioners.

Advise Rebuilding Stadium

Following the ultimatum issued by the Building Commissioners, the Athletic authorities of the University studied the problem, and decided that if any permanent improvements were to be made at Soldiers Field, the Stadium should at that time be enlarged to seat 80,000 persons. The Athletic Committee so recommended to the Harvard Corporation at that time, but the members of that body voted down any proposal to materially increase the seating capacity of the stadium.

Since then, the authorities have been considering three possible solutions to the problem: 1. Filling in the open end with concrete, 2. Filling in the open end with movable steel stands, and 3. Filling in the open end with permanent steel stands.

The last named alternative has proved to be the most practical, and Mr. Bingham, having secured the consent of President Lowell and the Corporation last week, brought the matter up at the last meeting of the Athletic Committee where the proposal to erect permanent steel stands was unanimously approved.

Work to Begin in June

Work in erecting the new stands will not begin until after the Oxford-Cambridge-Harvard-Yale track meet on Soldiers Field in July. It is expected that the steel girders and other materials used in the construction of the stands, will be factory-made and that the putting together of the individual parts will not occupy much time. Should an earlier start be necessary, however, Mr. Bingham feels that it can be undertaken without interfering with the track meet.

Plans for the new structure are not yet far advanced as to details, except that there will be a tunnel through which the track straightaway will run. Coolidge, Shepley, Bulfinch and Abbott, the University architects, will draw the plans for the new stands which will accommodate about the same number as the old wooden structure. Though no exact figures are available as to the cost of this improvement on Soldiers Field, it is understood that the sum will be in the vicinity of $175,000. When completed, the stands will be left in position permanently, or until such a time as a radical change in the Harvard football seating arrangements are made.