national interests, as to warrant some expression of feeling from Harvard men. The intense war spirit now manifested in our treatment of foreign affairs seems to us a menace to the welfare of our country and to her high stand among the civilized nations. We assert that it is a duty entailed on us as citizens of the United States to do everything in our power to oppose the war spirit so rampant now. We therefore suggest that every member of the University, whether student or professor, write a personal letter to the senators of his State and the representatives of his district, deprecating the warlike policy indicated in the President's Message. A. B. Hart, '80, W. E. Hutton, '95, H. E. Addison, '96, J. B. Ames, '68, L. T. Damon, '94, W. T. Denison, '96, John Fiske, '63, A. Borden, '96, Fletcher Dobyns, '98, G. L. Wrenn, Jr., '96, C. N. Lathrop, '96, C. S. Wadsworth, '96; J. C. Fairchild, '96, J. D. Greene, '96."

Following on this, professors and students wrote letters to Congressman McCall, of Massachusetts, who obtained special permission from the House of Representatives to publish them in the Congressional Record. This attitude, however, seems by no means to have represented unanimous student opinion, if indeed it represented that of a majority. Nor did it please all graduates, as was shown by a communication to the Crimson from Theodore Roosevelt, '80, who deprecated the expressed opinion of Harvard men.

President Cleveland's Message had, however, another effect at Harvard. The Union and the Forum had arranged a joint debate on the question, "Resolved, that the Foreign Policy of the Present Administra tion should be commended." Each Club had selected its speakers, and begun preparations, but when the message appeared the Forum, having the affirmative, refused to support its side of the question, and the debate was postponed until spring.

A very important step in the development of debating at Harvard is the formation of a standing committee "to exercise a general oversight of debating interests in the University." While there are manifest advantages in having rival debating clubs, there has been in the past the disadvantage of lack of unity. The rapidly increasing interest in debate among the colleges, and especially at Yale, makes special exertion necessary if Harvard is to preserve unbroken her line of victories. A meeting of the officers of the clubs, former intercollegiate debaters, and members of the Faculty especially interested in the subject, discussed what could be done, and formulated the following plan, which the clubs have accepted. A committee to promote the interests of debating at Harvard, and to take entire charge of the intercollegiate debates, shall be constituted as follows: Each of the three debating societies shall elect a repre

sentative. These three shall elect three members of the Faculty, and the six shall choose three graduate members. The committee may elect nine members at large. C. E. Bryan, '96, of the Union, F. Dobyns, '98, of the Forum, and H. W. Adams, '99, of the Freshman Club, represent the societies on the committee. The opportunities for training in speaking are now unusually good. Besides the weekly debates of the three clubs, the Junior and Senior debating courses, and the elocution courses, offer a more systematic training. Thirty-three men spoke at the competitive debate, held Jan. 17, to select Harvard's representatives in the coming contest with Princeton. The judges, Professors Taussig, Baker, and Briggs, selected Fletcher Dobyns, '98, of Oberlin, Ohio, who spoke in the Princeton debate last year; W. S. Youngman, L. S., of Williamsport, Pa., President of the Forum, and J. P. Warren, '96, of Boston, President of the Union. The alternate is F. R. Steward, '96, of Fort Missoula, Mont., Vice-President of the Forum. The debate will be held in Sanders Theatre, March 13, Harvard supporting the negative of the question: "Resolved, That Congress should take immediate steps toward the complete retirement of all the legal tender notes."

Rarely have the students so appreciated a course of University Lectures as Dr. John Fiske's four addresses on "The Western Campaigns of the Civil War." On the evenings of Dec. 10, 13, 17, and 20, enthusiastic audiences filled every seat, step, and almost all the standingroom in Sanders Theatre, while some enthusiasts roasted on the steam heaters. The Cambridge public also appreciated the lectures, and by arriving half an hour early, preëmpted the best seats. From the student point of view this was all wrong, and a correspondent in the Crimson only expressed the general sentiment in writing: "It was with great pleasure (!) that about one hundred and fifty students stood on Thursday night at Dr. Fiske's lecture. One asks himself the question: For whom are these lectures primarily given? For the general public or students?" Dr. Fiske brought out the direct line of causation, beginning in the early Western campaigns, running through Grant's victories on the Mississippi and in Tennessee, and ending with the surrender of Lee at Appomattox. Numerous stereopticon illustrations from war sketches, maps, and portraits of the generals, especially the familiar faces of Sherman, Sheridan, and Grant, added greatly to the interest of the narrative. The subjects of the lectures were as follows: "From St. Louis to Shiloh;" "From New Orleans to Stone River;" "Vicksburg; " "Chattanooga."

With the incitement of intercollegiate matches, interest in chess has increased rapidly at Harvard during the last few years. As a result, some first-class players have been developed. Columbia won the first

two tournaments, but last year the Harvard team brought the intercollegiate cup to Cambridge. Harvard has also won the four correspondence matches with Yale. In the tournament held this year during the Christmas holidays, at the Harvard School, New York, Harvard won from Columbia after an unusually close and exciting match by only point. In the first round Harvard and Yale were tied for first place. On the second day Harvard led by point, but was tied on the third by Columbia. Harvard regained the lead, but was again overtaken by Columbia. The final round on New Year's day opened with the score tied. Columbia took the lead, but the last game gave Harvard the tournament. E. E. Southard, '97, champion of the University, and A. W. Ryder, '97, second in the autumn tournament, represented Harvard. Ross of Columbia made the best individual score, winning 5 out of 6 games, while Ryder of Harvard was only point behind him. The final score follows:

Harvard

Columbia

Princeton

Yale

Lost

Whether it is that the knowledge of French in the University increases year by year, or that the cast and ballets are better trained, each French play given by the Cercle Français seems better than the last. Preparations for Le Malade Imaginaire began early in the fall under the direction of Prof. de Sumichrast, and resulted in the most elaborate production yet given. Besides the three acts of the comedy, two lively ballets were introduced, and the evening closed with the solemn farce of Cérémonie du Doctorat. A. S. Hyde, '96, C. L. Smith, '97, and J. A. Carpenter, '97, wrote the music for the ballets. The following cast gave three very successful performances, in Cambridge, Dec. 10 and 14, in Boston, Dec. 12:

During the spring the Cercle plans to produce informally several

French plays, the performances to be open only to members of the society and their friends. In connection with the French Department, the Cercle has also arranged the following winter course of lectures: Feb. 26, Prof. W. M. Davis: Three French Rivers, The Seine, the Meuse, and the Moselle. March 4, Prof. G. P. Baker, Molière in the English Drama. March 11, Prof. D. G. Lyon: The work of the French Assyriologists. March 18, Prof. J. Royce, Jeanne-Marie Guyau, the Philosopher.

The musical clubs this year sadly missed their usual Christmas trip, as no doubt did Harvard men in many cities throughout the country. The trip used to be a most pleasurable feature of the year, and a great incentive to good work. The students also regarded it as of distinct service to the College in arousing interest in Harvard in the Western and Middle States. Many feared that the standard of the clubs would fall off, but though their chief reward is withdrawn, they have done their usual faithful work. For some unexplained reason, writers of good comic songs have become unusually modest or very scarce in College during the last two years, so that the Glee Club programmes suffer a little from lack of novelty. Said the Crimson in a recent editorial: " Something ought to be done to revive the writing of songs of light vein, in which, up to within a year or two, Harvard men have been so successful. Without neglecting the demand for the good old songs' which is so frequently expressed, can we not have some more of the Hoodoo,' 'Mrs. Craigin's Daughter,' 'Wing Tee Wee,' or 'Débutante' variety ?” Interest naturally centred in the Fall Concert, given Dec. 18, by the Glee, Banjo, and Mandolin Clubs and the Pierian Sodality. The programme was shorter than usual, for this year the clubs revived the old custom of a dance in Memorial Hall after the concert. Other concerts were given at Lowell, Dec. 11, by the four clubs; at New Bedford, Dec. 13, and Boston, Dec. 16, by the Glee, Banjo, and Mandolin Clubs; at Brookline, Jan. 15, by the Glee and Banjo Clubs; at Jamaica Plain, Jan. 16, by the Glee and Mandolin Clubs; at Arlington, Dec. 17, and Concord, Jan. 17, by the Pierian Sodality.

One of the memorable occasions of the quarter was a quiet centenary celebration of the birth of Thomas Carlyle. A few students, feeling that the day should not pass unobserved by those who cared for his work, arranged a meeting for Dec. 5. There was special reason for such an observance here, for Harvard honored herself in 1877 by conferring on him her highest honorary degree. Further, Carlyle's American friends were almost all Harvard men, and, that his memory might be preserved here, he bequeathed to the College his invaluable collection of Cromwell books and manuscripts, and the death mask of the Lord Protector. In

answer to an invitation to all members of the University, about forty students and instructors gathered in Holden Chapel. C. A. Brown, '97, presided, and introduced Prof. C. E. Norton, the speaker of the evening. As was fitting on such an occasion, Professor Norton spoke of Carlyle the man, rather than the writer, and made his hearers realize somewhat of the genial personality of the rough-seeming Scotchman. At the close of his talk, Professor Norton showed some interesting letters and relics. As a result of the reorganization last fall, the Civil Service Reform Club has been more active this year than ever before. It expects a lecture some time in the winter from the Hon. Carl Schurz, President of the National Civil Service Reform League. Throughout the year, Richard Henry Dana, Professors Taussig and Hart, and others will give "smoke talks to members of the Club and their friends. Professor Norton began this series, Nov. 15, by an interesting talk on the Civil Service, which was followed by a general discussion. The Club has a special collection of Civil Service Reform literature in the University Library. At the annual convention of the National League held in Washington during the autumn, A. S. Ingalls, '96, and J. P. Welsh, '98, represented Harvard.

66

The 25th anniversary of the founding of the Signet was celebrated, Nov. 7, by a dinner at the University Club, Boston. Prof. A. R. Marsh, '83, presided. President Eliot addressed the Graduate Club, Dec. 13, on "Luxury in the University and the Community."- Mayor Bancroft, '78, gave an address on Municipal Government," Dec. 16, under the auspices of the Harvard Republican Club. - The Mermaid Club, for the study of the drama, has been reorganized on a new system. At the regular monthly meetings subjects connected with the contemporary drama are discussed. Meetings for reading and discussing English dramatists from the miracle plays to 1750 are held twice a month, and are open to associate members. The Jowett Club, formed to promote the literary study of the classics, held its first breakfast at the Colonial Club, Nov. 6. Prof. A. R. Marsh was the guest of the morning.— Col. H. G. Prout gave an interesting lecture, Nov. 8, on "General Gordon and the Soudan," under the auspices of the Engineering Society. Col. Prout knew Gordon intimately, and succeeded him in command of the Equatorial Provinces. -A Central New York Club has been formed to promote the interests of Harvard throughout the interior of New York, to encourage a friendly feeling between men coming from that section, and to welcome new men at the beginning of each year. The Club intends to hold monthly smoke talks. - Prof. G. D. Herron, of the Chair of Applied Christianity in Iowa College, lectured at Harvard, Nov. 19, on "Individual Failure and Social Progress."- The Philadel