ELECTIO AD ABSURDUM

The present system of electing Freshman class officers leaves much room for comment and criticism. Called on to choose their officers early in the academic year, the Freshmen have no sound basis on which to rest their decision, and often elect men whose efforts on the football field or track have gained for them a certain degree of popularity, but who may not be truly representative of the best elements in the class.

During the opening months of college, the newcomer is faced with the difficult task of orienting himself in a novel environment. With college curricula and compulsory athletics engaging the major part of his attention, he has little opportunity to meet the members of his class. His acquaintances are limited to the men coming from his own preparatory school and the small number whom he has met in his dormitory and classes. Suddenly confronted with a list of candidates for class officers, he is totally unqualified to make an intelligent choice and often votes blindly for the men whose exploits in athletics have given them publicity. The defects of this system become even more intolerable when it is remembered that these men who are chosen in the December elections are the nominal heads of the class until the Senior selections are made.

There appears to be no necessity for haste in choosing the Freshman officers since the affairs of the class are already capably handled by a representative Union Committee. The intelligent solution of this problem lies in the postponement of class elections until the latter part of the first year, preferably until April or May. At this stage, the Freshman has had an opportunity to make the acquaintance of a large number of his follows. He can then judge the merits of the representative candidates, and on the basis of accurate knowledge, he can make a rational and mature selection.