Seniors, Guests Swelter at Class Day Exercises

A robed and perspiring Senior Class held its annual Class Day exercises in the highest temperature of the year at Sever Quadrangle yesterday.

An audience of 1000 fanned themselves in 95.3 degree heat, the highest in history for June 21, and heard Class Orator J. Philip Bahn ask for more scholarships to insure the future of "expanded opportunity" in education.

The GI Bill of Rights, Bahn declared, has given the University "democratically constituted" classes, and therefore "a quickened intellectual life."

"Almost without exception we are willing to call . . . the great democratic experiment . . . a success," Bahn said.

But because of rising expenses, "when the last veteran leaves, Harvard will be able to offer less scholarship aid, in real terms, than before the war.

If private funds can't do the job, we should examine seriously the question of federal scholarships," Bahn stated. Although warning of government control over "who shall teach and what shall be taught," Bahn said. "A slowly- developed, carefully-considered program of federal scholarships, such as that advocated by President Conant, in his 'Education in a Divided World," merits our serious consideration.

The following is today's list of activities for the senior class, alumni, and guests--the last events before Commencement Day.

HARVARD-YALE BASEBALL GAME

Soldiers Field Diamond, 3:30 p.m.

BUFFET SUPPER

Ellot House Courtyard, 6 p.m.

BAND GLEE CLUB CONCERT

Tercentenary Theater, 3:15 p.m.

INFORMAL DANCE

Ellot House Courtyard, 10 p.m.

"Despite the fears of men of little faith, the Class of '49, and the Classes of '45 and '50, have proved that we can make our ideal of broadened opportunity work in the nation's colleges and universities. . . . To the classes of the future, we owe the assurance that the experiment will be continued."

The seniors, also heard Antonio G. Haos, Ivy Orator, read a playlet "showing what life at Harvard must be like in the composite American imagination."

Dean Bender then told the Class, which he called "the most promising" to be graduated from any college this year, that "Harvard deserves your support, which doesn't necessarily' mean your money."

The Class Ode was recited by George Bluestone, Odiel, and sung by Milton S. Heath Jr., Chorister.

A raw-boned junior usher from Brooklyn, New York, stole the first Class Night show in Harvard history last night and turned the Eliot House courtyard into a tumult of screams and shouts, as an overflow crowd tossed off barrels of beer while watching a vaudeville program staged by the 1949 Class Day Committee.

The usher, Donald Carnwell '50, performed as master of ceremonies introducing other scheduled activities between two-line jokes and jovial ripostes.