The communication in another column on some of Harvard's social conditions contains, it must be admitted, much truth. The most of us are agreed in believing that serious evils exist in the undergraduate social life. One part of a class, even in its fourth year in the University, does not know nor care about the other half. "Cliques" and "sets" do exist; at every election of Class Day Officers there is a fight between "society" and "non-society" men; and there is an atmosphere of false formality and false dignity which old graduates tell us is not to be found in the outside world.

But it is easier to see that evils exist than to trace their causes. Some attribute the defects to the elective system with its diversity of courses and aims and its consequent separation of the class into groups of men with different interests. But the "sets" and "societies" are not formed with these groups as a basis. They and the so-called "nonsociety" element are rather composed of men from each of these different groups with different aims. Scientific and classical students form not widely disproportionate parts of the same clubs.

The cherishing of the "Individual" and of "Individuality" at the expense of the class is also held responsible. That should make individual merit the main requirement for distinction in our social system. But the writer of the communication says "there are just as refined manly men outside of clubs as in them."

It really seems as if in our desire to leave the schoolboy far behind, and to realize as quickly as possible the "Harvard spirit of dignity and conservatism," we have been led into an extreme and false idea of our part as men; as if in straining to show ourselves men of the world we had arrived at a standard of false formality and "priggishness" which the world will not tolerate when it receives us after graduation. "By all means maintain the Harvard spirit of dignity and conservatism, but do not over do it."

But the remedy is even harder to light upon than the causes. If the University Club is built, and if the plan of having class dinners annually instead of once in the four year's course be tried, some lessening of the evils will take place. But the greater part of the work in lessening the evil lies with the clubs and with the individuals. There is too great a lack among undergraduates of consideration of their classmates, and too much forced formality. "Let the thoughtless be more thoughtful of others, and the over-sensitics, less so." A live enthusiasm in athletics, in debating, or in any field of action of interest to all alike will also go far to join all classes together and to destroy all unnatural social divisions.