Two weeks ago, Provost Buck announced to a breathless Student Council the gory details of a new 4 tuition rise. But fortunately for the more sensitive members of that august body, Buck couched his $76 fee fattener among some noble new plans for improvements in the plant and teaching of Harvard College.

One of his high priority schemes was the construction of a hockey rink; and to judge by the difficulty there is in finding vacant ice in winter, it's a happy suggestion.

Bill Bingham would be happy to pick up the phone tomorrow and order the construction of such a rink but for the minor matter of who is going to pay the bill. The bill is $700,000.

Those who know something about the construction of rinks say this figure is not exorbitant, and say further, that if started in the near future, an Arena could be ready for next hockey season. Of course, having a rink built won't pay for it.

The people who might conceivably relinquish this sizable chuck of U.S. Steel 6%pf. are a unique group of local graduates who played Harvard hockey and who have never been able to completely give up the game to succeeding generations. If their hearts have been touched by the successful varsity exploits of 1948-49, a rink is in the offing.

And a rink is a definite necessity on the local sporting scene. Forced to compete for Arena practice time with BC, BU, half a dozen high schools and the Boston Bruins, the varsity was able to log but 130 hours of practice time all winter. The freshmen could get even less, and were forced to range as far afield as Lynn and Lowell to locate practice ice.

Most hockey players are fanatics, but the way Harvard hockey is set up, it can only survive if the participants are fanatics. House teams play games as early as 7:30 a.m., and as late as 2 a.m. merely because they like to play hockey. Often House teams have banded together to rent the Skating Club for a few hours of practice time.

With a rink, Harvard will put itself just about on a par with the other teams in the Pentagonal League. Princeton has just completed its Hobey Baker rink (which is used 24 hours a day), Dartmouth already has an enclosed rink, and Yale has practically a monopoly on the New Haven Arena.

WANTED--For Practice--a hockey rink costing $700,000 (including endowment)--all monics to be provided by public spirited hockey followers--must not interfere with any of the concurrent "lofty purpose" drives for funds. All donations gratefully accepted and acknowledged, perhaps even in stone. Apply William J. Bingham, H.A.A. Speed is of the essence.