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PROFESSOR TROWBRIDGE' setter on rowing which appeared in yesterday's CRIMSON ought to receive more than an ordinary reading. He makes several suggestions for the scientific investigation of the most effective stroke, which are certainly original -, and doubtless practicable. Professor Trowbridge is too much of a scientist to suggest a method of determining the relative value of different strokes by experiment, unless there is a reasonable possibility that some accurate and valuable results can be obtained. His whole life has been a study of scientific problems even more intricate and difficult than this one, and we believe that investigations under his guidance might throw some light upon the question of rowing at Harvard.

Rowing can stand, probably, more scientific study than any other sport. It is open to constant improvement. based on the experiences which are gained from year to year. Yet Harvard cannot be said to have progressed much in this line. We seem to be as far off as ever from knowing the cause of our repeated defeats on the water. At least if we do happen to know them, there is no one who is so thoroughly a master of the situation that he can lay down definitely the best methods to follow. Tradition, as Professor Trowbridge says, is the only way we have of passing from one crew to another the knowledge accumulated from constant practice. This ought not to be. We need a man who will make an exhaustive study of different systems of rowing and who can make it his profession to look after the rowing interests at Harvard. This need has been expressed very many years from different sources, but to no avail. It is simply a matter of time when we must make a change. When the university realizes this, graduates and others will, we believe, come to the front and take whatever action is necessary. Professor Trowbridge's letter, however, calls up very vividly to us what ought to be done at once, and makes us regret deeply that we are so far from realizing our needs.