SHALL THE FRESHMEN ROW OTHER COLLEGES?

BEFORE long '84 will, in all probability, receive a challenge from Columbia to row a race in Freshman eights. In view of this, we wish to show '84 that Freshman racing outside of the College is advantageous neither to the College at large, the University Crew, nor the class itself. In the first place, we must say, that because '83 Harvard defeated '83 Columbia, there is no reason why '84 Columbia should feel bound to challenge our Freshmen; nor need our Freshmen feel bound to accept if they do receive a challenge. '84 was practically no part of either college when the '83 race took place; and, if it had been, it was an affair of '83, and satisfaction could not be given to either Columbia '83 or Harvard '83 by '84's either losing or winning.

'81 had reason for a race with Cornell, as then there were no class races here to bring out her men for the 'Varsity. Some may say that an outside race will bring out more men than a class race. This, we think, is not so, as some men who do not wish to row for so long a time, might be willing to row till the middle of May, when the class races come. Thus are removed the only reasons for an outside Freshman race, unless it is that they wish to spread their wings, and that can be done in the class races, as '83 has shown; and there they may really gain more renown than by winning a race outside of College. As we have shown that there are no reasons for an outside race, we will show what there is against one: At Yale the inexpediency of Freshman races outside of the college is recognized, so that it is impossible for our Freshmen to row them; and if they win a race with any other college it produces little effect in the world outside of college that Harvard should have won; whereas, if Harvard Freshmen are beaten, it makes the greatest sensation, and nearly every one thinks it was the University Crew which has been beaten. This occurred in the case of '81's defeat by Cornell, and is alone almost a sufficient reason for doing away with them.

The class races, as said before, will train men for the 'Varsity of the succeeding year; and if any man is good enough to row on the 'Varsity in his first year, his rowing in the class races will show it as well as six weeks' more work would; even if it did not, no man ought to be put into the 'Varsity much later than the class races, as it would take some time for him to get in with the 'Varsity men's work. Last year, after the class races, the Captain of the 'Varsity wished two of the '83 crew to leave their boat and row as substitutes on the 'Varsity. The Captain of the Freshmen naturally enough objected to having his crew broken up; and thus we see that an outside race clashes directly with the 'Varsity's interest. We think too, as most Freshmen have never done hard work in rowing before coming to College, that those who were not strong enough to get on the 'Varsity the first year would be more fitted for 'Varsity work the next year by a rest of four and one-half months instead of simply the summer vacation, especially as vacation life is irregular, and does not always build a man up. Moreover, the work for the Freshman examination is more important, as well as harder, than any other work in College, and the time after the class races is not sufficient for preparation if interrupted by the mental inability caused by rowing. Perhaps the most appealing reason to the Freshmen themselves in the favor of our argument is that which is beginning to operate on '83. The race with Columbia cost something like $2,300, of which $1,300 is still unpaid. This shows how hard a race is on the Freshman's pocket, and not only causes him to cut down his personal expenses, but it also deprives the 'Varsity Crew and teams of considerable part of the Freshman quota in subscriptions.