FAVORITISM

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

I note the following incident without comment.

Three days ago one of my friends received a letter from one of the important Deans. In the message my friend was asked to act as a host for a prospective member of the Class of 1959 who was to visit Harvard this weekend. Elaborate plans were outlined in the letter describing the young visitor's schedule. The high school student was to be Harvard's guest at any of its dining halls (the tab was to be signed "Committee on Admissions"); appointments had been made already for a meeting between the visitor and prominent Harvard athletic coaches; in short, my friend--with the specific cooperation of Harvard University--was to acquaint this boy with the College.

I recall that during my senior year in high school I too wrote Harvard that I was going to be in Cambridge and was interested in speaking to an admission officer. The simple reply was that it was wholely unnecessary for me to meet any Harvard official. When I did visit Cambridge, another student and I shared five minutes with one of the officials. Later, I toured Harvard--managing ably without official escort.

I suppose I ought to add that most experts agree that this prospective member of the Class of 1959 has a slightly brighter football future than I. Edwin H. Nordlinger '55