Among the buildings of the Yard, Phillips Brooks House stands, in one respect, unique. It serves occasionally, indeed, as one place where the University entertains its guests, as during the inauguration just past; it is used at times as a common meeting ground for students and professors, as at the University teas; but in its essential and predominating character it exists as the home of a student organization and the centre of that association's activity.

The Phillips Brooks House Association is a federal society comprising the several student religious organizations of the University, separated for the sake of coherence and closer intimacy, but united to serve the common ideals of the House,--Piety, Charity, and Hospitality. Here is strongest the Harvard contempt for superficiality and cant, but it is through the meetings of these societies or of the Bible or other discussion groups which originate here, that many a Harvard man develops his lightly accepted religious ideas into what is for him a true and satisfying religious life. It is through the joint efforts of these organizations that hundreds of Harvard men get that opportunity for and experience in social service work which makes them leaders in movements for social improvement. It is from these active organizations that radiate a number of pervasive influences, of which the "Freshman Bible" and the annual reception are the most obvious but not the most important, which help to render false the assertion that the Harvard atmosphere is intolerably cool.

The CRIMSON believes it worth while to call the attention of the University to the Phillips Brooks House Association. We are all aware of its existence, and we stand for its fundamental aims; but we tend to forget that it is no mere self-operating mechanism. Upon its temper and efficiency is staked the reputation of Harvard in more than one place, yet its usefulness is great or small according only to the intelligence and energy of the support which it receives from the student body.