ADVISORY CLASS DAY COMMITTEE TO SUGGEST REFORMS

Suggestions for improving the Class Day exercises and a report to be submitted to the Class Day Committee, which will be elected in the beginning of December, were made yesterday at the first meeting of the Advisory Committee on Class Day, which was held following a luncheon at the Faculty Club. The Advisory Committee, which was organized this year to foster greater cooperation on the part of the graduates and undergraduates with regard to the yearly exercises, is composed of the three officers of the Senior Class, two graduate secretaries, the chairman of the Reunion Committee of the class of 1908, and the Purchasing Agent of the University.

Members of Committee

The members of the committee present at the meeting yesterday were: B. S. Wood '33, president of the Senior Class; D. M. Sullivan '33, treasurer of the Senior Class; A. B. Mason '08, chairman of the Reunion Committee of the Class of 1908; A. J. Garceau '91, secretary of the Harvard Class Secretaries Association; J. B. Garrison '31, secretary of the Class of 1931; and, W. G. Morse '99, Purchasing Agent of Harvard University.

According to a statement by Sullivan, "the concensus of opinion of the Advisory Committee on Class Day was that Class Day last year had been very successful, but that the Stadium exercises might benefit by improvement and, perhaps, some innovations.

"It was felt that more emphasis should be placed on the ceremony of transfer of the Class Banner from the Senior Officers to the Freshmen; that definite action should be taken to assure more effective cheering; that, perhaps, the exercises might be improved by the introduction of some new feature, such as a humorous speaker from the twenty-fifth Reunion Class; and that, to insure efficient presentation of the program, some executive from the Senior Class be placed in complete charge of the exercises."

A number of possible improvements were discussed and approved. Since the committee is purely advisory, however, and has no official power, they will be offered to the Class Day Committee, when it has been elected, strictly as suggestions, without the desire to interfere with the independent action of that committee. Although this is the first year an Advisory Committee has been formed, last year's Class Day Committee consulted with the Purchasing Agent, and through his efforts a previous deficit was turned into a small surplus.

Report in Full

The report of the Advisory Committee follows in full:

"The improvement shown in the Class Day exercises last year, more particularly in the Evening Spread and in the timing of the events, over those of the years immediately preceding it were so marked and so successful and encouraging that we would like to suggest continuing this arrangement and adding improvement wherever possible and to call your attention to the Exercises which take place in the Harvard Stadium on that day, in the belief that this ceremony could be and should be improved in a way to make it more attractive to your guests. Last year this event took place at 5.30 o'clock and the program consisted of the following:

Ivy Oration, Cheering, Song by Glee Club, Presentation of Class Banners to the Freshman Class, Singing of "Fair Harvard," Confetti Battle.

"The chief object of the ceremony in addition to providing light entertainment to the visitors consists in the presentation of the Class Banner to the Freshman Class. This is intended to symbolize the relinquishment of their duties as undergraduates by the Senior Class to the Freshman Class and to show that the Senior Class has now joined the body of Graduates, who have just marched into the Stadium, and are prepared to carry their share of the duties and responsibilities of Graduates of Harvard College.

Plan Improvements

"For some years this ceremony has fallen short of the impressiveness it should have and we believe that through cooperation with the Graduates under the leadership of the Class of 1908, which is the Class to celebrate its twenty-fifth Annual reunion this year, it will be possible to plan improvements which will make its meaning clear and impressive to the audience.

"We believe also that it would be desirable to have more of the light entertainment which now consists solely of the Ivy Oration and it is our hope that constructive suggestions will come from graduates and undergraduates alike, and that talent will be found which will add the needed matter to this event and make it one of which Harvard men can be proud.