STEADY PROGRESS MARKS AUTUMN CREW PRACTICE

During the past three years the progress in crew work at the University has been marked by steadily increasing interest in the sport on the part of both undergraduates and graduates.

That this rapid rise in popularity is no mere passing whim but a genuine attachment to rowing for its own sake may be gathered by a comparative record of the last few seasons. In the autumn of 1920 there were 247 men out for crew; in 1921 the size of the squad jumped to 319; while this fall marked a new record when a total of 540 candidates for University, Freshman, and Graduate rowing reported for work on the river. The sweep oarsmen from this group are divided into 37 different eights, while there is an average of 70 single scullers at work on the river every afternoon.

A statistical survey of all the departments of the sport shows a striking development in the organization of crew at the University. Foremost in this record of growth stand the comparatively recent systems of practice for the dormitory and class crew candidates. Without the detailed arrangements which are now in force, the great majority of men would get no opportunity to row at all, and it was on this account that, through the efforts of Dr. Howe and his assistants, the work of developing these departments has been taken up so vigorously during the past three years.

Coach Haines in Charge of 1926

The next stage, that involved in developing the Freshman crews separately and independently of the other squads, came to its climax this fall when Coach H. H. Haines, who has been working for several seasons with yearling squads, took over complete charge of 1926 rowing and has succeeded in developing some promising material from the ranks of the first-year men.

Sculling, also taken up seriously for the first time this fall, was started as an organized department last spring under the direction of Coach E. A. Wachter. Mr. Wachter has spent a large part of his time this fall in priming University and Freshman scullers for the coming Regatta on Thursday, October 26, and the results of his efforts are seen in the higher plane of skill displayed by the various candidates from day to day.

The final step in this plan of organization which was initiated in 1920, is the emphasis that is being placed on 150-pound rowing this year. The success which has attended the efforts this fall to provide good equipment and adequate coaching for the light-weight candidates bids fair to continue on into the future, and there is little doubt that this branch of crew work at the University will soon become an essential feature on the Harvard rowing program.

Additions to Coaching Staff

Exclusive of the unprecedented number of men enrolled, the crew organization has shown rapid development in other respects, notably in the way of equipment and additions to the coaching staff. Following the appointment of Dr. Howe as Director of Rowing, there have been several additions to the coaching force, consisting principally of the men who have been giving their services with such marked effect in the shaping of the dormitory crews. The appointment of Mr. F. J. Muller as coach of the two University crews has left Dr. Howe more freedom in his work of supervising the many phases of the present crew system, while Coaches E. J. Brown '96 and William Haines have been able to devote their whole attention to the class and 150-pound eights respectively.

The interest of the University rowing graduates in the development of the new system has been demonstrated repeatedly, both in the form of gifts and in actual assistance to the coaches. In the course of the last half year two new launches have been donated by graduates for the use of the coaching staff. The "1892" launch was in use all last spring, while the "Patricia", the recent gift of a Harvard graduate in the class of 1907, will prove invaluable in the work next spring.