When a squash ball is dropped from a height of 100 inches on a steel plate, it will rebound 32 inches. This is true only when the temperature is at 70 degrees Faherenheit.

Although the temperature outdoors these days is considerably below this pleasant level the caretakers over at Hemenway gymnasium must try to maintain a constant 70 degrees every afternoon from 2:30 p.m. on. Coach Jack Barnaby and his squash team swing their stunted tennis racquets at the little black ball and expect it to bounce back with a normal velocity.

Last year Harvard ranked second in the intercollegiate squash league while Yale and Princeton, the only teams that defeated the Crimson, sandwiched the local team on the squash ladder. The team's success in recent years is due largely to the guiding hand of coach Barnaby, who has followed a two point program for building bigger and better squash teams.

Unlike football, basketball, or hockey, the game of squash racquets does not depend on team cooperation, or even on the mastery of a specific style by the members of the squad. The only way a coach could ever get a squad to play the same basic type of game would be to scout hundreds of candidates, looking for similarity of style. So Coach Barnaby has sensibly resolved to bring out the individual talent in each man rather than to impose a special game upon the player. On the Barnaby team, each man plays according to his own bent.

Two years ago a man walked into Hemenway armed only with a squash racquet. His knowledge of squash technique amounted to roughly the idea that a racquet, a little black ball, and four walls could make a varsity squash player. Of course a few basic things were missing in his concept. It wasn't until after he had spoken to Coach Barnaby that he became fired with a desire to play the game, and a willingness to go through long hours of practice. Tomorrow this man will be in the starting lineup when the team journeys to Hanover to play Dartmouth.

Because anyone who wants to play squash can practice and get advise under expert tutelage, this year's squad has depth. Even though the number one man, Henry Foster will be out with a broken ankle and the number three man, Joe Clark, will be unable to make the trip, Coach Barnaby feels that the team has an excellent chance of winning Friday. "This year's squad is probably the best since the war," he asserted yesterday, "and I believe this is so because our long range policy of letting anyone play who wants to has paid off." Three members of the starting nine have never played squash before coming to Harvard.

Five who might be playing tomorrow will be out of action, and yet Barnaby, like Valpey, doesn't complain. "We're going to Dartmouth to win, and we expect to do it," he stated. His attitude was typical of that of the squad.

On the bright side is the comforting recollection that Harvard has never lost to Dartmouth in squash. Because the Crimson has held second place in the intercollegiate competition for the past three years, it stood as a heavy favorite before the injuries were listed and is a favorite even new.

The style of the team is varied. Hugh Foster, captain of the team, will play in the number one position. Foster won his spot on the team last year as a slugger, but he has added finesse to his play and now appears to have a well-rounded attack.

Hugh Nawn, one of the juniors on the starting combination is small for a squash player, not having the long arms which make difficult returns easier. Coach Barnaby, however, has described his game as "quick, clever and artful," and believes that his speed makes up for his size. Nawn will play in the number two position.

Sam Hoar, captain of the Freshman squad last year relies chiefly on power for his points and his hard service is the high point of his game.

Jim Bacon has made the transition from number one on the Freshman team to number three on the varsity with a minimum of difficulty. Bacon plays a hard, aggressive game, but he still needs seasoning before he can be a consistant varsity winner.

Austin Flagg, another sophomore, has limited his game to a straight up and down attack but is now learning to vary his style.

George Plimpton's main asset as number five is his skill at retrieving difficult shots. Although this type of defensive game has served him well he has added a few "winning" shots to his game.

And so with four members of last years sophomore team making up the bulk off the opening force, and five starters including the number ten ranking player in Massachusetts, Hugh Boster, sidelined, the squash team will open intercollege season against Dartmouth tomorrow.