Vanity Fair Offers Prizes for Undergraduate Essays Dealing With College Life--Ph.D. Solemnity Is Taboo

Undergraduates of American colleges have been offered prizes amounting to one thousand dollars, for the most original and humorous treatments of subjects connected with college life submitted to Vanity Fair, 19 West 44th Street. New York, before February 1, 1926. Three prizes will be awarded, the first of 500 dollars, the second of 300, and the third of 200.

The announcement of the offer, in the December number of Vanity Fair, explains the nature of the contributions desired: "We are not looking for solemnly serious treatises which might be submitted for a Ph.D. thesis." says the notice, "but for articles which will evoke laughter from our readers, whether undergraduate or alumni.

"It is for this reason that we have thought it wise to suggest, though it is not actually demanded, to contestants that they select us their subject some phase of that life with which they are actually in contact at the time of writing rather than a topic, however great its possibilities, which is totally unrelated to college atmosphere."

Some of the more important rules of the contest are reprinted below:

"Each entrant must be a member in good standing of the undergraduate body of some American college or university.

"Each entrant may submit one, or not more than two, essays or articles.

"Articles will be judged by the following standards: a humor; b, style; c, taste.

"Articles between 1000 and 2000 words in eight, must be typewritten, on one side of the paper only, and must be signed with the entrant's name, address, college and class year.

"All articles must-be the original work of the competent and must be hitherto unpublished."