UPHILL FIGHT

It would be difficult to conceive of a stronger case in its favor than the Harvard Ski Club has built up in its bid to gain real University support this winter. Backed up by a petition with 568 names, by a 53 page report, and by the recommendations of both the Student Council and the Undergraduate Athletic Council, the ski club can do no more than await the decision of the gods. If skiing does not get an official status as a minor sport, together with some money for the appointment of a first class coach, from the Committee for the Regulation of Athletic Sports in its meeting next month, then there does not seem to be much justice in the world.

Thus far, the support of the University has been purely of a moral kind. In fact, it has only been through the energy and enthusiasm of men like Alee Bright and Captain Tom Winship that large enough contributions were received to build the new ski cabin at Jackson, which has already been a real success despite the snow drought. Not satisfied with that accomplishment, the ski team continued its good efforts in another direction and captured a surprise second in the Intercollegiate meet at Lake Placid over Christmas. They deserve some reward for that.

But the select few on the team are not the only ones who should have the privilege of first class instruction from a Harvard coach. There are also the 568 petitioners who may invade the mountains sometime this winter and try their feet at running trails which are too fast for them. These are the ones who endanger themselves and everybody else in the vicinity because most of them possess a sad lack of training in skiing technique. Therefore it is plain that the coach must not only be expert but available to large numbers of people. Fortunately skiing lends itself to group instruction better than most sports.

And so the evidence mounts up in favor of puting skiing on the same footing as the other minor sports at college by allotting it some funds and giving it a coach. If this were done, skiing might be able to claim more devotees than practically any other sport in college.