GUIDEPOST

Some influence on the part of the Confidential Guide is shown in the preliminary figures for enrollment in Freshman courses. For instance, there have been changes in the number of men choosing such courses as English 28, English 79, French 2, and Geology 1. How great a responsibility the Guide can assume for even these changes is hard to analyze for there are normal trends at work from year to year which can be hastened or delayed, but not prevented.

In any case, these statistics are valuable only in so far as they indicate that the Guide has received careful consideration. The CRIMSON's aim is not to control the popularity of Freshman courses. Its primary purpose is to supply the man entering Harvard with sufficient information on which to base intelligent decisions. But now the second purpose, that of acquainting the Faculty with undergraduate criticism of their courses which they might not otherwise learn, comes to the fore. It was indeed encouraging to hear of the professor who told his class yesterday morning that he intended to make some changes in his course as a result of our criticism.

The CRIMSON feels that it has made a reasonable start on an excellent enterprise. To meet the problem of next year's Guide which is already under consideration, cooperation is needed from members of the Faculty, even those whose courses have been treated harshly. If these pamphlets are going to be of assistance in clearing some of the deadwood from the Freshman year, and if they are going to retain usefulness for the man entering Harvard, criticism from all angles is the vital essential.