Survey of Crimson and Lampoon Editors' Careers Shows Newspaper Men Most Religious--Humorists Become Writers

Former CRIMSON editors suffer from the mental diseases to which introverts and egocentrics are subject while the mental diseases enjoyed by former Lampoon editors are those suffered by the extrovert or altrocentric type, is it disclosed in a survey by Donald Gregg '02, published in an article in a recent number of the Harvard Graduates Magazine. The investigation uncovers the careers of the different editors who brought forth the successive issues of the CRIMSON and Lampoon throughout the first 35 years of the publications existence.

Thirty-two occupations have attracted Lampoon editors. Forty-one editors have become writers and journalists, 40 law-years, 31 architects, 25 business men, 23 artisans, 12 bankers, nine teachers, eight doctors. The rest are spread out through a number of miscellaneous pursuits.

Only two Lampoon editors became clergymen, while the CRIMSON has produced twelve men who took on the cloth. Politics has also proved unattractive to Lampoon graduates, the only two men who have entered that field being also numbered among the eight CRIMSON editors who grew up to enter public service.

Dr. Gregg raises an interesting question on this point. "Is the pachydermatous slightly paranoid and egocentric type that makes a good politician", he asks, "more prevalent on the CRIMSON than the Lampoon?"

The survey does not let even the deaths of former editors, go unnoticed. Among the Lampoon editors, tuberculosis has been the commonest determined cause of death.

"Did the dark recesses of the old sanctum need to be disinfected?", queries Dr. Gregg. "Do certain men too much handicapped physically to express themselves in sports turn to the Lampoon as an out-let? Is the Lampoon editor too happy go-Lucky to care for his health and does he fall a ready victim: or is it merely that, as we know in medicine, tuberculosis is seldom a depressing disease--in fact, is often characterized by an unusual quickness of mind and optimism of spirit?"