The history of football relations between Dartmouth and Harvard has been extremely varied, like the ebb and flow of the tides. Although the study of statistics is likely to be anathema to the sensitive and intellectual soul, a glance at the football game records in the Harvard H Book ought to fire a spark of interest even in the highbrow. The first battle with Dartmouth was held in 1882, when each player believed, like Samson, that his source of strength lay in his side-burns. From then on, the results of these games and the positions which they occupied upon the schedule appears to have a definite connection of cause and effect and in them the psychological "dope" artist may find a rich field for surveying and charting.

At first Dartmouth was probably given a date without any thought of its strength in relation to its proper place in the web and woof of the season. After several bad beatings it was relegated in 1891 to the humble position of season-opener. Then seemingly invigorated by its draught of bitterness, as other colleges have been likewise, Dartmouth began to give the University so much work that in 1899 it leaped up to a position next to the final Yale game and there remained until 1912. Some may perhaps thank that the prerequisite for such a position was, as it is now, to be easy enough for substitutes to handle. If this was the case, then Dartmouth scarcely filled the bill. In fact its team proved so thorny on several occasions that Harvard lost twice, tied twice, and on three occasions just skinned through.

Last year the broken skein of relations was retied. Dartmouth came once more to Cambridge as a big mid-season rival and has come this year as the b. m. s. r. Whether one side or the other wins, or whether both win and lose in a tie matters much at the moment but less and less as time effaces the record. One thing important does remain, however--that two large and significant colleges have rejoined and reopened a valuable relationship. As trade follows the flag, so in this instance it may be hoped that social and intellectual intercourse will follow the football team.