Tennis Courts in Plenty.

EDITORS DAILY CRIMSON:-The Executive Committee of the Tennis Association have during the last two months received and considered several plans for improving the quality and quantity of the courts in future, and the plan which has been determined upon. And which we trust will meet the approval of all, is given below. It has been devised by ourselves and somewhat amended by the Athletic Committee of the Faculty.

Before the Christmas recess, the grounds on Holmes and Jarvis Field were inspected by a Contractor, and it was found that rolling, or in any way repairing the courts as they now stand, would be useless, as the soil is too loose and sandy, and that therefore each court would have to be made over entirely. The making of 50 Turf Courts, at their cost of about $150.00 apiece would be beyond our means, and therefore we have been obliged to resort to clay courts. Yet for players who are prejudiced towards grass courts, and also for tournaments, grass courts are preferable, and will indeed be necessary when the Inter-Collegiate Tournament is held here, and so we did not wish to have all the courts made of clay. A place on blames Field, north of the Pudding Building, and outside of the track has been determined upon for the grass courts. This space, capable of containing place for eight courts will early in the spring be leveled and sodded. Each court will not be surfed by itself, and thus be stationary, but will be movable as at Longwood, and thus the grass at the service lines will not be worn away. A small daily charge will be imposed upon players using these grass courts, which will be ready for play late in the spring.

As the making of thirty or move clay courts involves considerable expense, (on the average of $50 per court), the Committee decided that it was best to experiment with various sorts of clay, an determine during the spring which was the pleasantest to use, and which endured the wear best. Accordingly, as soon as the frost is out of the ground, five courts of various sorts, of brighten Gravel, Moorland Gravel, Ashes, etc. will be laid down. These can be played upon by the last week in April. During the summer 30 more clay courts made of that material which is found to be best will be laid out upon Holmes and Jarvis Fields in places that will not interfere with the other sports, also a space for two more grass courts will be turfed adjacent to the other eight. This will give to the college next fall 45 courts, as good as any in the country. Should these not prove sufficient for the demand, in the following year (1886) courts to the number of 12 could be laid out on the Agassiz Museum grounds, and also about eight grass courts of medium worth on the grounds of the Divinity School. For these courts, permission would have to obtained from the government of these departments of the University. This would make 65 double courts, which is the limit that can be reached with the ground that we now have.

For the spring that seems so soon upon us we can again but offer temporary provisions. There will be the five very good clay courts ready in April, and the eight turf courts ready in the latter part of May. The other courts, of which the Association will try to have a larger number, will be laid out and rolled as well as possible. Their positions will be the same as those of the future earth courts, that we may see whether there is any inconvenience on account of sun, etc. The fee of membership for the spring will be 50 cents. The members of the Association can use the new made clay courts on payment of 10 cents a piece for the afternoon, and the charge on the turf courts will be 20 cents for the same time. Details of this arrangement will be given later.

The cost of these improvements will be about $4.000. If the students can raise $1.000 of this, thus showing that there is a wish for the game of Tennis at Harvard, and a desire for good courts, we have a right to say that the rest of the expenses will be advance to us as a loan, the security of this loan lying in the fact of the students interest in the game, as shown by the subscription of $1.000. This money must be raised before the Easter recess, April 2nd. From each class two collectors will be appointed who will can vase their own class. Also appeals will be made by letter and person to the graduates. The canvassers will visit every man in the class, because we believe that while some will be able to give larger amounts for the honor of the college, at any rate every man, especially of the three under classes, will subscribe something, as it will be of benefit to himself.

At present is the time in which we can best have this sport for all raised to a level which shall combine the mere exercise of a poor court to the pleasure of a good one, and as such favorable conditions for success have combined at the present time, we trust and believe that graduates and under-graduates will do their best in raising this amount,

Ex. Com. of the Tennis Association.