A MINOR CRISIS

Last Spring the H.A.A. stated that the minor sports would either be excluded from the athletic budget, or else would have to show a marked reduction in yearly expenditure. The latter course was chosen and the new budget figure was adhered to, although with great difficulty. At best this was and is a temporary solution to the problem, and a new method of raising money had to be found.

Although Harvard's minor sports could continue to live on their small pittance for perhaps another year, they can not do so without losing much of their value to the undergraduates through poorer coaching and fewer opportunities to practise. If these sports were taken off their present inter-collegiate basis and made into intra-mural recreation, then the present budget would be sufficient, although not as large as it should be. No matter what course is adopted, funds are still needed, and must be raised sooner or later.

According to last year's figures only 1800 students out an average yearly total of 3400 were paying for he college's athletic facilities, since the Freshmen were given their participation ticket free, and the remaining 600 indulged in no recreation at all. If every Freshman had to pay ten dollars for his participation ticket the H.A.A. income would be increased by $10,000, which would not only restore the minor sports, but leave a four thousand dollar surplus each year.

This situation is one that is destined to become more acute, as there is an increasing interest in basketball and swimming, with no lessening of participation in any of the other four minor sports. As the numbers of men interested increase from year to year the H.A.A. will have to take care of the influx, as well as maintain the standard of efficiency of these sports.

At present the H.A.A. has to pay for the overhead, fixed costs and upkeep of all its athletic buildings and playgrounds regardless of how often they are used or of the number of people using them. Thus it would not cost much more to encourage a greater number of students to participate in these sports than it is costing already. The added revenue from the levy would take care of the financial difficulties.