At this time of the year the question of writing commencement parts presents itself to those members of eighty-six, entitled to write; and as usual it is quite likely that the number of those who will write, compared with the number of those who will not, will be very small. The inevitable result, if but few men compete, is that eighty-six will not have a commencement that will do justice either to the class or to the college. Writing a part in itself may seem an irksome task, but it is not a thankless one. If the indifference in this matter, which seems to have taken hold of college men so strongly, could be dispelled, if the members of eighty-six would initiate the custom of having a likely competition for parts at commencement, there would be in promise for this year and for years to come exercises that would be representative of the college. While commencements heretofore have been very creditable to Harvard, it is still in the power of undergraduates to make future commencements much more creditable, much more representative.