Jubilant over the news of his appointment as head football coach here, Arthur Valpey said last night in a telephone conversation from his Ann Arbor home that he plans to arrive in Cambridge around the first of March to launch preparations for spring practice. "Michigan means a lot to me," he said, "but naturally I'm very pleased to make the switch to Harvard."

The former Wolverine end coach revealed he would bring with him a complete new set of assistants-new backfield, line, and end coaches. These men are as yet unappointed, but Valpey hopes to bring at least one of them here when he moves in the first of the month. Spring practice will start around the middle of March.

"I would like to get in a week or so of indoctrination," the new coach said, "before the actual practice begins." He indicated he was anxious to meet Jayvee coach Clarence "Chief" Boston and Freshman coach Henry Lamar, whose contracts expire this July.

Quashing rumors that his Michigan associate Bill Barclay (Crimson basketball coach) would be made backfield assistant, Valpey said all the new men will be from outside the present Harvard organization. He said Barclay may help out in the scouting department, however.