CREW SEASON OPENS WITH MEETING TODAY

The rowing season of 1928-24, heralded by many as the beginning of a revival in this sport at Harvard under the leadership of Coach Edward A, Stevens, will open officially at 3.30 o'clock this afternoon with a meeting of all candidates in Newell boathouse. Coach Stevens and Captain B. McK. Henry '24 will speak briefly.

In pursuance of his general policy of making crew a universal sport, Coach Stevens is extending the summons to all men in the upper classes, regardless of experience. This is made possible because the new system, differing in many respects from that inaugurated last year by Coach Muller, will naturally come with difficulty to those veterans who have mastered the intricacies of the old stroke and thus presents a wider opportunity, than ever before for new material to come to the fore.

A nucleus for the squad will be formed by some 60 men drawn largely from last year's University. Freshman and class crew squads, and these will all report today. In addition a quantity of new material is expected which should swell the total attendance to well over a hundred. Work on the machines will start tomorrow with practice on the river scheduled to start shortly thereafter. A cut is contemplated in about a week, three crews to be retained and the rest relegated to positions on the class and 150-pound squads.

Will Have Absolute Authority

The significant feature in the rowing program this year is the implicit delegation of authority to the new coach. Confidence in the rowing system has been deplorably lacking at times during the series of disheartening failures through which Harvard crews have come in the past three years, and this attitude may be traced at least in part to the fact that the Crimson system has never really been a unit. Formerly, when any important step was contemplated, there were at least three authorities who had something to say in the matter. This fall the crew management has announced that Coach Stevens will be the final authority on all matters concerning the University crews, with general oversight over the whole rowing system. He along will make all the cuts and be responsible to no one in his choice of candidates and application of coaching methods. This centering of authority on one man was adopted by all the leading colleges in the East last season. The turning over to Coach Stevens of complete control in matters pertaining to crew marks a big step forward in Harvard rowing policy.