THE FAST CLOSED DOOR

The Yard police have long had as one of their sacred duties the job of preserving the peace and security of the Harvard Yard and its inmates, whose safety and quiet are guaranteed by the daily ritual of the closing of the gates at sundown. Every evening at six o'clock sharp the clang of the iron protals on Massachusetts Avenue cuts off Virtually all approach to the buildings from that flank except from the vicinity of Boylston Hall.

What this fine old tradition means to those living in Leverett, or Adams, or Dunster, or Lowell, or indeed in any of the buildings which happens to be located in the wrong place, has never been considered. Now that the library is open in the evenings to habitants of those houses must take a detour of about six blocks to reach the welcoming doors of Widener. This obstacle seemingly miner, but in times of haste, or low temperatures, sufficiently annoying remains in the path to knowledge in order that the Yard may be protected from marauders and that Freshmen in Wigglesworth Halls may sleep undisturbed by the tramp of feet in the archways beneath. The purpose of keeping the gate directly behind the library firmly chained and bolted is harder to fathom. It is possible that it is one of the things that is because it has always been. The ritual of the gab has always been. The ritual of the gates might be modified along with that of the morning bell and with considerably less of the hubbub which accompanied that move. One more gate could surely be sacrificed to encourage more to "enter and grow in wisdom."