$200 Decrease in Smoker Funds Will Benefit Needy Yardlings

News of the $200 decrease in the Freshman Smoker appropriation, voted last Wednesday by the Student Council, has apparently been received with little or no reaction by the Yardlings.

According to Eugene D. Keith '42, Student Council representative in charge of Freshman affairs, the action was taken merely to release an added amount of money for use by needy applicants.

"Every year," he said, "a number of students have to leave college because of financial difficulties, and it seemed to us that the extra amount would do more good if it helped some of the members of the class continue their education than if it were used to buy 'big name' talent for the Smoker."

Committee's Responsibility

Keith stressed the fact that the measure was in no way intended to limit the scope of the party or curtail the fun. The way things stand now, he said, leaves more responsibility on the shoulders of the committee, and the success or failure of the event is pretty much dependent on how much work is put in.

George A. Saxton, Jr., '44, Chairman of the Union Committee, declared that he would like to see the Smoker continue on just as large a scale as in previous years, if such could be managed. "Perhaps we could charge a small admission fee," he suggested, "it wouldn't take much from each Freshman to give us plenty of money to work with."

Past Smokers have usually been held in Memorial Hall or Sanders Theatre, and have featured each time an impressive list of entertainers to assuage the spring fever of the Yardlings. Candy, ice cream, soft drinks, and cigarettes are distributed free, and the evening often lasts for a hilarious four hours or more.

Near-Riot Last Year

Last April the blow-out ended with a near-riot when some students from Toch kidnapped Rochester, Jack Benny's negro stooge who was one of the top-listed performers on the program, and brought him in well-guarded at the close of the get-together.

If 1944 does nothing about raising any more money, the Smoker this April may revert to the old style, in vogue several years back, in which it was merely an occasion to get the whole class together, sing songs, and listen to addresses by Faculty members and prominent classmates. These parties were not at all musical variety shows, but provided a genial and entertaining evening at a very low cost.