CLASS ELECTIONS.

THERE can be no doubt that a majority of the Senior class are at present in favor of a return to the old-fashioned Class Day. Now it has been rightly conjectured that unless Seventy-eight has a successful Class Day, this year will see the last of the traditional Class Day, and the substitution of a Corporation Day, in which Harvard College shall be lost sight of in Harvard University.

Assuming that such an event would be distasteful to every academic student, the question which now presents itself is, How can we make Class Day successful? The obvious answer is, By enlisting the interest of every portion of the class. Let the exercises be of such a character, and let those exercises be conducted in such a manner, as to give each section of the class some sense of proprietorship. Let no part of the class feel that they are acting the part of mere spectators. In this way, and in this way only, can Class Day be made successful.

The interest of each section is to be secured only by allowing to that section a representation in the list of class officers. It is not necessary that such representation should be in proportion to the numbers of the section, but it is absolutely necessary that there should be some representation. Nor is it always necessary that the men selected should be apportioned equally among the different sections. Above section, some men belong to the class. Such is notably the case this year. By their success at the oar and bat, the captains of the crew and nine have brought honor to the class; and the class would be only too glad to show their appreciation of that honor by electing these two men to the most sough for offices.

Again there are some offices (such as poet and chorister, for instance), for which there is often no competition, common consent indicating who shall be the incumbent. In such cases as the two just mentioned, the section that these offices naturally fall to should consider such offices as a constituent part of their representation.

The other offices should be filled in some manner by which the aim of securing the interest of the whole class should be kept constantly in view. In what way such a selection can be accomplished is a mooted question. Certainly a crowded class meeting is not a place where anything more abstract than personal or factional interest can be adhered to. A plan which was proposed only too late last year was the election in open meeting of a large committee of fifteen or twenty, who should report nominations to the class. In this way a calmer discussion could be obtained, the responsibility could be definitely placed, and if the committee should act in an unworthy manner, a check could be administered through a vote of the class.

Let every one who is interested in a successful Class Day remember that class interest is the thing to be sought for, and that any victory that shall produce class apathy will bring at best but empty honors.