DESECRATION.

Either through selfish carelessness or dishonesty the unusual privileges of the Farnsworth Room in the Widener Library are being abused. The unfortunate side of it is that this tendency is increasing as time goes on. The first year only one book was lost. Thus far this year more books have disappeared than during the preceding two years together. It ought to be understood by this time that "The books of the Farnsworth Room are to be used in the room only. They are not to be borrowed or taken away."

A leaning toward the classics is shown by the disappearance of Sophocles, Petronius, and Ovid. O. Henry, Richard Harding Davis, Conrad and others of similar nature are found to offer special temptation. For a time there were fatalities among the war books, but they later returned to service on the shelves.

The only explanation of the growing misuse of the room is that people do not know or are beginning to forget that the Farnsworth Room is a memorial, as the bookplate indicates, and should be sacred from desecration. It is inconceivable that any college man should wish to rob something which has been given as a monument for the whole University to enjoy.

The increase of such practice might with reason, lead to only one thing, the closing of the Farnsworth Room. The many may have to suffer for the crimes of the few. Let us hope that those who are thus abusing the privileges of the room will desist, and those who are glad to use the room legitimately will help bring the offenders to light.