Al Capp Leads in '51 Funny Derby As Reliable Poll Shows Mental Bent

Harvard Freshmen may plug for A's, but 69 percent of them have time to read the funnies regularly, according to results of a Class of '51 poll just completed.

"Li'l Abner" is the number one Freshman choice, with "Terry and the Pirates" second, far behind Al Capp's Dogpatch hero. In 1935, a similar survey put "Popeye" and "Barnoy Geogle" on top, but neither carned a vote this year. "Dick Tracy" and "Prince Valiant" tied for third.

Freshman taste was lauded by Jeromo C. Bruner, lecturer on Social Psychology, who complimented them on their favorite choice. "That Li'l Abner is first," he said, "shows discrimination on the part of the students, since the strip is on a relatively high intellectual level."

"It's a far more healthy sign," he continued, "that they read this, instead of something like Smilin' Jack."

These who claimed immunity from the attraction of comic strips gave varied reasons for their abstinenco. Some said they didn't have time to read them, but one Freshman declared, "I don't need that form of escape."