"Enemy aircraft" roared over Cambridge Wednesday night as the second test blackout within a month turned lights off all over the University. The test, which lasted an hour and a half, covered all of New England as huge bombers swept down from Maine to Connecticut to test the alertness of the north Atlantic coast.

The confidential alert came in at 8:59 o'clock, followed by the banshee wall of the blue siren at 9:10. Harvard blacked out immediately, the military dorms leading the way, the civilian ARP men in the College Houses following, and the older men of the graduate schools completing the darkness.

The second blue at 10:04 o'clock, however, upset the program at the civilian houses as lights went on for several minutes before the wardens clamped down and shut them off. Confusion also came when the street lights went on before schedule, leading many to believe that the blackout was over.

The Harvard Report Center, which keeps tabs on all Harvard men and property during a blackout, reported that "the military dorms blacked out quickly and efficiently." Lowell House was handled by some 40 volunteers, and the other Houses, although not yet reporting, probably had as many men on duty.

Harvard Groups on Duty

The Harvard Auxiliary Fire Department was on duty throughout the blackout, as was the Harvard First Aid unit. Both have their stations in Lehman Hall with the Report Center and awaited through out the test a signal that would send them pounding through the streets to duty.