During the past College year we have done all that lay in our power to stir up a right spirit of enthusiasm among the students, and when such a spirit did begin to make its appearance we strove to encourage it in these columns. This has been our attitude from the first, and it is our attitude today. We should be unwilling to do anything to lessen the true, right sort of enthusiasm, which inspires in every student's heart a warmer affection for Harvard. But students must be careful at the start, when the new spirit of enthusiasm is just springing up, that it is rightly directed and not carried to a point that will injure our athletics.

We do not hesitate to say that the enthusiasm of many of the students last night was not rightly directed, and was carried so far that it threatened to do real harm to Harvard's athletics.

We will not go into details, but every man must feel what we mean in saying this, and realize that it is true. Good rousing cheering and marching in the Yard with the band is a right way of celebrating, but the firing of giant crackers and every description of firearms in the streets of the city is distinctly a wrong way. The use of arms and firecrackers in celebrating is an entirely new thing at college. Even in the old days, when no one ever complained that there was not enthusiasm enough at Harvard, these things were not used. Besides being dangerous they are a nuisance to the Cambridge people living anywhere near the college.

It is well known doubtless that many members of the Faculty are opposed to intercollegiate contests, but that as yet these men have been in the minority. The intercollegiate games have been preserved by the efforts of the younger members of the Faculty, and one of these men said last night that such extreme and reckless celebrations would have the effect of completely silencing them when the subject was next brought up in a Faculty meeting. This is the situation, and we must face it in a right and sensible way. Unless firearms and firecrackers are given up in celebrating the games that are to come, we shall probably lose our intercollegiate contests, both baseball and football, in the near future.

We feel that one reason why the celebration last night was carried beyond bounds lies in the fact that the authorities have been altogether too severe in suppressing the proper enthusiasm in the Yard and within the precincts of the College. Student enthusiasm after a great victory should be allowed to vent itself in marching and cheering in the Yard, and in celebrating on Holmes Field. The first celebration in the Yard a few weeks ago is an example of what we mean, and this is what we want and what every Harvard graduate should be glad to see.

The celebration after the Pennsylvania game last Saturday is another case in point. Yet on that night the watchman in the Yard twice tried to prevent men from marching around, telling them that if they were going to celebrate they must keep out of the Yard. This seems to us exceedingly unjust, for the Yard is the right and proper place for such a celebration, and there it ought to be permitted.