All is not serene at Amherst. Our reason for drawing this conclusion is the opening sentence of an editorial in the last Student. "The college year at Amherst so far has been characterized by perfect quiet." After reading through a few melancholy sentences about the absence of tin horns and other attendant instruments of rejoicing, we come to the main-spring which actuates the feeling of enforced quiet. "The freshman chirrups to his fellow freshmen, and carries a cane as the spirit moves him. Though he is small there is no fear in his soul. The days are quiet, and the nights are still more so. Occasionally some sophomore having assured himself that no angry freshman is abroad to injure him, steals forth to sample his neighbor's grapes, but this is a mere ripple on the calm surface of events. For three years college precedents have been changing or dying out, and college history instead of being a kind of annual repetition, has each year varied." The Student attributes this state of affairs to the influence of the present policy of the faculty, and although it deprecates hazing, declares strongly in favor of some manifestations of college spirit. "We frankly admit that we do not admire the style of youth sans vim, sans enthusiasm, who would be a model in this modern school. The typical young man is enthusiastic, manly and generous, and a policy that destroys the material for class historians and crushes class enthusiasm and college precedent, will repel him from our doors. Our college authorities seem at present to be making an energetic bid for the Oberlin style of student, from which we beg leave to be delivered."

Our contemporary thinks, and in our opinion, thinks rightly that this class enthusiasm aids largely in bringing about the best results. But the trouble is that the reaction against the modern spirit is apt to carry college students back again to the old days of hazing. We strongly favor class enthusiasm, but if class enthusiasm is to retard the spirit which is now actuating the students of most colleges in their efforts to improve and elevate college customs, we say preserve us from class enthusiasm.

As will be seen by a notice in another column The Union holds its first meeting of the year tonight for the election of officers for the ensuing half-year and to hear the semiannual reports of its recent work and present condition. The upper class men are, of course, familiar with the character of the Union and its aims, and it is chiefly to the members of '87 that these few words of information are addressed.

The Harvard Union is the only society in college which is distinctively a debating society and nowhere else at Harvard can a knowledge of parliamentary rules of procedure be obtained from experience. No course, prescribed or elective, offers to the student such an opportunity to express his views in debate upon the important questions of the day.

The inestimable advantage to be gained from acquiring the ability to speak connectedly and logically, before an audience, need not be dwelt upon. The college authorities recognized its importance years ago when a course in debate (English 6) was established. Last year the course was omitted on account of its place being filled by the Union, and for 1883-84 the course is also bracketed. Any member of the university is eligible for membership upon payment of a nominal yearly fee, and meetings are held every fortnight on alternate Thursday evenings. Those wishing to join the society will have an opportunity to do so at the close of the meeting tonight.