Another close race between the two now habitual winners of the inter-House athletic trophy, Kirkland and Lowell, came to a climax last week, and resulted finally in a victory for Kirkland. Both the Deacons and the Bellboys have now come out on top three times each.
These two Houses have monopolized athletic honors. At least four times in the past six years of competition, they have together held first and second place. And the reason? Simply spirit. "It's a brave man indeed--or a foolish one--who mentions 'spirit' here at Harvard," reads the opening paragraph of the first Kirkland House Year Book, "but when it's a question of Kirkland House, spirit with all its ghastly implications must be mentioned too. For spirit is what individualizes Kirkland. . ."
Consistency Stressed
The House athletic system is directly and quite intentionally weighted on behalf of such Houses. Consistency, and not necessarily brilliancy, win out. To prove it, Lowell won more firsts this year than did Kirkland; and Winthrop won as many. Steady performances in other sports--only possible in a House where men are willing to make sacrifices for 'honor and glory'--turned the tide. Further, Dunster House--the citadel of indifference, according to the boys' own proud boast--has come out near the bottom in each of the past six years.
Here are some statistics for 1939-40:
Participants: At least 1200 men, or 60 per cent of those eligible.
Standings, as of June 1 (and the relative position will not change): The three leaders, and the sports they won: Kirkland was first in basketball, swimming, fencing, winter and spring track, while Lowell captured the honors in squash, indoor baseball, touch football, golf, fall track and wrestling. Winthrop, in third place has garnered high points in football, baseball, hockey, tennis and boxing. The only other sport left after the big three had finished was crew, in which Eliot again was most successful. Contests with Yale:
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