THE NEW ATHLETIC COMMITTEE

The announcement that the new Athletic Committee has really been appointed, and that the three Deans will serve as its three Faculty members, brings relief to every Harvard man who is at all interested in the welfare of our athletics. Whether or not the Deans will find their new duties too irksome when combined with the many other details of administration thrust upon them, the experience of next year will show. We admire their good intentions in accepting the appointment; but we doubt whether they will have the time at their disposal to make the most efficient members of an active committee. There should be a number of important changes in the management of athletics next year and the new committee should have the inclination and good judgment to make them.

The weakness of the new committee, and one which should not be underestimated, is the absence of Professor White as one of its members. The petition by the captains and managers of the major and minor teams for his re-appointment was disregarded, because it was felt that his re-appointment as a graduate member would violate the spirit of the regulations passed by the Governing Boards. Dr. Nichols, however, a professor in the Medical School and a faculty member of the old committee was appointed a graduate member of the new committee. It would seem to most of us, at least, that the same logic which made Dr. Nichols eligible for the new committee might have been extended to the case of Professor White without any great breach of good faith.

As it is, the Athletic Committee has lost its best member by re-organization. It is doubtful whether anyone knows more about the workings of our athletics than Professor White. Nor has anyone worked harder to keep them clean, and at the same time avoid unnecessary and petty restrictions. In short we dislike to lose a man of Professor White's calibre, especially when the reasons for his disqualification are supported neither by precedent nor logic.