Protest

(Ed. Note--The Crimson does not necessarily endorse opinions expressed in printed communications. No attention will be paid to anonymous letters and only under special conditions at the request of the writer will names be withheld.)

To the Editor of the CRIMSON:

Like a hundred other members of the senior class, we were greeted this morning by a letter from the "Treasurers Office". It may be inferred from the content of the letter that the treasurers" do not take the form of plain statement.

The members of the senior class are expected to contribute $40 a head this year (the two alternative plans come to much the same thing) toward a $50,000 fund for the twenty-fifth year reunion. Presumably the total sum is reasonable, but the senior class would certainly be grateful for some explanation a bit more explicit than that to collect it is the treasurer's "duty".

A little calculation of a basis of compound interest reveals that even by depositing funds in a savings bank at 4 per cent, compounded quarterly, we could have $50,000 in twenty-five years by raising about $19,000 now. Five per cent compounded annually gives a requirement of less than $15,000 now. Assuming the larger amount the share of one of the 580 members of the class would be about $32.

Evidently the class officers have made an allowance for the failure of many of the class to contribute. But it seems to us that it would be fairer to be frank with the class: to explain what is the total amount needed, state what would be the share of each member, and ask those who can to put up more than the average contribution. Many of the class will be doing graduate work for the next few years; and it seems to us quite unfair to ask the same contribution from these men and from those who will be on their feet more quickly.

It may be added that five days notice is rather short. It seems to imply that the members of the class are expected to subscribe to this fund before they become conscious that this is only one of a number of commencement expenses. We have still to hear from the Harvard Fund, the Class Day Committee, and half a dozen other groups. A. G. Hart '30.   H. C. Speel '30.   R. A. Clark '30.