To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

In an editorial of May 4, you mentioned the fact that the charge for then extra courses has been increased to $65 for half courses, but you said little about the results of the increase, which, I believe, are detrimental and discriminating.

The first thing to be noted is that the charge for Okura courses is not pro rata. The tuition rate of $250 makes the price of a course $50 for Freshmen and $62.50 for the three upper classmen. More is to be charged for an extra course than for the whole story. The $250 paid by students represents payment for many other things than four or five courses. It is payment for the right to use the gymnasium for a nominal fee, the right to use the library, administrative expense, the maintenance and care of the College buildings and grounds, and so forth. The electing of extra courses does not entail further expense on the University, except perhaps in the courses themselves. This fact has long been recognized by the authorities, as the tuition price of $200 for four courses and the price of $20 for an extra course shows. This increase of 250 percent in the price of extra courses in unjust and uncalled for unless it has some beneficial effects, which have not been made evident yet.

The result of this increase will be that fewer extra courses will be taken by the men who do not need them for a degree. They can merely sit in on the lectures and do the assigned reading without taking the examinations. Since the expenses of the College are approximately the same whether there are several extra men in a course or not, the result of this will be that the revenue of the College will be diminished, since the increased rate will not be paid in most cases, and the money hitherto received from students who take extra courses merely for education will not be secured. This increased price puts a premium on laziness also. Many a student knows that he would be able to carry an extra course successfully but the cost will cause him top refrain from electing it.

Here it may be mentioned that the number of E's will not be decreased by their additional cost, since men will reuse to elect courses which they may hot pass.

But this increase strikes most harshly and is unjust to the men who intend to complete their course in three years. The great majority of there men are earnest students of small means, who wish to save money by studying harder and completing their course early. This increase means not only that these men will not be able to effect the saving of a year's tuition which is usually being saved for some graduate school, but also that they will be charged as much for three years' residence as the other students are charged for four years, though their three years' residence costs but little more than the first three years of any student. This increase is entirely out of proportion also. A student could plan to go through Harvard in three years, paying $680 in tuition, whereas hereafter under the scheme announced, it will cost him at the minimum $1075. This makes an increase of 58 percent whereas tuition has increased only 25 percent.

But the wrest features of the increase is that it is to take place immediately. This is manifestly unfair and unwarranted. There are men who have taken six courses next year and receive their degree in three years. They are liable for a charge of $40 this year for their extra courses and believed last September that with the price of tuition being $200 and that of two extra courses being $40 that their last year would cost them $240. But now they must pay $380, an increase of $140, or almost a 60 percent increase. If these men had known that such an increase would be made, the majority of them would have decided to take the regular four year academic course. This increase strikes these men when they are helpless. They have already committed themselves and cannot turn back.

The Endowment Fund has indirectly failed to meet expectations, but some better method of raising money can undoubtedly be found than this manifestly unfair method which will not increase the revenue of the College to any great extent and will discriminate against earnest students in the middle of their program without due warning being given them, especially since this method, is detrimental to the intellectual standards of the College. SAMUKL ABRAMS '23.