SEPTEMBER DEGREES GO TO 125 RUSHED SENIORS

Without benefit of commencement exercises, about 125 members of the Class of '43 left Harvard this September with virtually assured degrees in their pockets. First fall graduating contingent in almost a quarter of a century, these men rushed through theses, divisionals, and finals during the summer in order to complete degree requirements before being called to service.

When World War I demanded quick graduation, the College permitted mass September degrees for the first time in 1917. But only 34 men took advantage of the new plan at that time as compared with the large number who left this fall.

War Cuts Ceremony

Ordinary ceremony and the traditional commencement exercises were impossible at this time because of the speed with which most of the men had to leave for other fronts. The majority left Cambridge immediately to report to some branch of the armed forces.

Even last spring's commencement was hit by the war, as much of the elaborate and traditional celebration was shelved as incompatible with the war effort. Class Day and the famous confetti battle were among the casualities then.

The fall exodus played a large part in decreasing the size of the upperclass half of the college. Of the 3364 men registered by yesterday, a large majority were Freshmen and Sophomores, on whom the axe of the 20th birthday had not fallen.

Despite the large number of men who will graduate next February, no plans have yet been made for a commencement then, and there will probably be no ceremony at that time either.