ROWING SEASON OPENS WITH PHOTOMEN INVADING NEWELL

The 1941 crew season made its first official bow a week ago yesterday with an open house for press photographers in the Newell Boat House. However, unofficially, the crewmen have been making continual progress since the Charles river Ice drove them indoors last fall. But since a line must be drawn somewhere, tradition seems to set this "official" opening at the annual onslaught of Boston cameramen.

At this time each year Coach Tom Bolles is called upon to name his starting shell for the Yale race, a query whose answer is almost as difficult for the scholarly mentor as for its posers. Until the Ice leaves the Charles, a thing which it is always predicted to do in the first week of March and which it generally does about ten days later, even his knowledge on the matter is greatly clouded. Even the least experienced oarsman can tell you that rowing in a tank and rowing on the water are two entirely different things, and oarsmen who look like world beaters Indoors frequently turn out to be dubs when they set foot in a shell, and the reverse is equally true.

Thus, about the only concrete fact that Bolles has to toy with is that out of last year's once beaten eight, Captain Fluff Stevens, Walt Kernan, Johnny Richards, and coxswain George Shortlege are missing. Returning lettermen include this year's captain, Shuff Gray, now engaged in hockey activities, Bruce Pirnie, Sam Goddard, Dick Fowler, and stroke Jack Wilson. In addition to these veterans there is a complete Jayvee boatload returning from last year. Also the 1943 shell, which left ten lengths of open water between it and the Elis returns almost intact.

Jimmy Ducey, Coxswain of the 1942 crew but out last year, is back in the traces this year with his eye on a sent in the Varsity boat. Ted Lyman, on the Combination eight last year, has made great strides over the winter and is expected to give a real battle for one of the starting slides. Bus Curwen, now a mainstay on the swimming team, will be after the stroke seat, but since he is still working for Hal Ulen and not Bolles, it is difficult to tell what his progress in that direction is.

Harvey Love, the Freshmen mentor, came out of his shell sufficiently to say that this year's group of Freshmen look better than last year's at this time and that although the probation rate was a little higher than usual, he is not at all discouraged with the prospects for the season.

All races except the Yale race and the Adams Cup regatta, which will be held at Annapolis, will be on the Charles this Spring, where M.I.T. is planning with lethal intent to win some Harvard shirts.