Paper Boys Call Union Men Naive On World Events

Signs of the times as indicated in an informal poll among newsstand vendors in the Houses and the Union show that among University students, upperclassmen accomplish more extra-curricular reading in newspapers and magazines than do the hardworking Yardlings, anxious to create favorable initial impressions on the Dean's Office.

If reading newspapers is an indication of how interested in and aware of current events a man is, then reclusive Yardlings truly "let the rest of the world go by," for only ten percent of Union diners buy newsprint. Even figures in the Houses fail to show a well-informed undergraduate, for the percentage is but 20 to 30 along the river.

Grad Students Read More

Greater skill in finding spare time for out of school reading must develop proportionally to the length of time the student spends in college, for last summer five times as many graduate students bought papers and magazines as the present Union gourmands.

Students sacrifice accurate reporting for more recent news, judging from the popularity the Boston Herald enjoys over the New York Times and the Herald-Tribune which are both late in appearing on local stands as compared to the Boston sensationalisms.

Traveler Leads

Evening tabulations show that the Traveler leads, with a sales volume 12 times greater than that of the Christian Science Monitor. News generally seems to be of secondary importance, for newsstand vendors attribute the superiority of the Herald to the feature drawing attraction of "Terry and the Pirates."

Crimson readers show cosmopolitan urban characteristics in placing the New Yorker in number one slot as the most popular magazine on the stands, with Life and Time also selling out every week. Newsweek and the various digests are poor sellers; among the coolly received latter class, however, DeWitt Wallace's Pleasantville, New York, publication ranks first.

Union Stand Largest

Greater magazine variety is found at the Union newsstand, largest in the University, which is run by Don McNichol '43, 1L, former fullback on the 1941 Harlow squad, and John Ryan '48, who consider their stand still incomplete in stock since on one occasion they underestimated the power of a woman and were unable to supply the Ladies Home Journal to a Freshman reader.

Union reading tastes are also tainted with a sexual flavor and pink hue, as may be noted from monthly sellouts of Esquire and The Nation. Apparently contrary to the liberal arts trend shown in University course popularity figures, this scientific age of wonders retains a strong grip on the technically-minded Yardlings who avidly devour all procurable copies of Amazing Science when it makes its monthly appearance.