HARVARD'S FIFTH ESTATE

Contrary to the views of Mr. Hearst, everything cannot be classified, purely and simply, into black and white. The line between unscrupulosity and honesty in Tutoring Bureau ethics, even the expert philosophers would find difficulty in drawing. But clearly, the practice of offering help in writing a paper which is intended to test and stimulate original thought lies in the company of theme writing and "doing it for a friend" beyond the lousy waters of the Styx.

Touring Bureaus, of course, might not exist at all in a perfect world, but in this unfortunate reality they help lubricate and smooth over the gaps of a necessarily incomplete system. Professors have not the time to pay individual attention to each student in organizing and disentangling the messes born from inattention, absence, and ineptitude. In providing this service, the bureaus are supported morally even by the college administration.

But unfortunately every now and again, these eminently ethical and righteous institutions step over the line, whether by spotting examination questions, thereby vitiating the purpose of examinations, or by undertaking work intended to be original with the student, thereby vitiating the accomplishment of ex-President Lowell's much emphasized "self-education", and become obnoxious, unethical, unscrupulous, instruments of the Devil. Let us hope that the institutions concerned will quickly withdraw their proffers of help in the book reports of Philosophy B, and avoid otherwise necessary action on the part of the University.