OUR RELATIONS TO OTHER COLLEGES.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE CRIMSON:-I HAVE seen it stated, in more than one paper published at other colleges, that the Crimson and the Advocate are wonderfully fond of vaguely hinting that Harvard is older and larger than any other college in the country, that her system of instruction is unapproached, and that altogether there is nothing in the land to compare with her. Such remarks attracted my attention particularly, for the reason that I had never myself noticed this little peculiarity of our papers. I have watched them both of late, and I think now that there is a certain amount of truth in the remarks referred to; but I have failed to see why the peculiarity should be seriously objected to. It is undoubtedly bad taste to call attention in a marked and disagreeable way to the little failings of others and one's own superiority; but this, I think, is seldom, if ever, done.

Our action in regard to the "Intercollegiate Literary Association" might be pronounced, and, no doubt, has been pronounced, an assertion of our mightiness and our contempt for what amuses the ??? of the college world. We refused in the beginning to have anything to do with it, and we have since gazed down from our eminence with placid enjoyment upon the eager struggle for the wreaths which crown the finest orator, the best writer, and the champions in Greek and mathematics. We have never said, in so many words, that we were too big for such amusements; but that is what our actions have said for us. I have no means of knowing whether the other colleges feel offended by all this; but, if the tone of our papers displeases them, there is no reason why this tacit assertion of superiority should not do so as well.

At present we are in a peculiar situation in regard to these colleges. We have found, by a rather unpleasant experience, that our interests in boating matters are not identical with theirs, and we have taken what I consider a most wise course, in announcing our intention of dissolving our connection with them. This seems to me the policy which will of necessity be adopted in future. It is the only way in which we can avoid the unpleasantness sure to arise when we attempt to pull together and find by experience the difference in our interests.

In America "college" and "university" are words which are used very promiscuously. It by no means follows that because two "institutions of learning" are called universities they resemble each other in anything beyond their names. Certain groups of colleges can be made so that the colleges in each group will resemble each other and differ from the other groups. For instance, Columbia, Princeton, Yale, and Harvard might form a group; Amherst, Dartmouth, Brown, and Wesleyan, another; and so on. This is not a fine classification, but it is safe to say that the more one of these groups keeps itself from the rest the less trouble there will be. We may have, some day, one standard university which it will be the aim of every college to imitate; but until that time comes it would be better for each college to work out its own ideas and restrain any innate desire to cross swords with whoever happened to differ from those ideas.