The Harvard correspondent of the Spirit of the Times, in his report of the last of the regular winter meetings, advances the criticism that in several events the starting point was so low and change was made so slowly that many of the contestants became tired out before their final efforts, and thus often failed to equal their practice records. Thus in pole-vaulting, the bar was started at six feet and slowly raised to nine; and in the running high jump the tambourine was raised so slowly that at the highest points men were visibly unable to make the efforts they could have made when fresher. The correspondent suggests that the changes should be made more rapidly, or that the start should be made at a higher point. In such a question there are, of course, arguments pro and con, and it would be impossible to satisfy all by fixing any definite point. There is, indeed, a certain mean, by securing which the best general results can be obtained. We see no reason to doubt that that mean was not attained at the recent meetings. Furthermore, we believe that the starts were in most if not all cases made at points agreed upon by the contestants in each event. As a general rule they should be capable of judging with what start the best record can be made.