The Undergraduate Obligation.

(The Crimson invites all men in the University to submit signed communications of timely interest. It assumes no responsibility, however, for sentiments expressed under this head and reserves the right to exclude any whose publication would be palpably inappropriate.)

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

If the undergraduate is to claim a part in contemplated reforms at Harvard, as he has a right to do, he must be absolutely sure in order to get a hearing for his views, that he has fulfilled his obligations in trying to make the present machinery of the University work successfully. He cannot in justice deny that the responsibility of whether that machinery has worked well or ill rests largely with the attitude he has taken. Take the case of concentration and distribution, which is such a bugbear at present. How many have given serious study and thought to the subject, for say fifteen minutes at a time? Or how many who have disliked to exercise their minds to that extent have talked to their Faculty Adviser upon the subject? Its very purpose would indicate that it may not be the simplest subject, but still it seems one that would not strain even a college man's mind to the breaking point.

And there is another point in which the undergraduate should examine his conscience before commencing reform. Has the Faculty Adviser been given a fair chance? Here the initiative plainly rests with the student. If he prefers to reduce the Faculty Adviser to the position of an automaton, it is not for the latter to dispute the choice. Doubtless he would rather become a counselor and friend, a constant link between the University and the individual student, as he was designed to be, but it certainly should not be a part of his duty to make personal calls on students, or otherwise flatter them into making use of him. If he is to make any intelligent contribution to future reform, the undergraduate must first reform his attitude, and thus afford present systems a fair trial. D. T. EATON UNC.