The University's annual Combined Charities Drive gets under way today as solicitors begin canvassing the Houses and the Yard for contributions. The goal for this year's campaign is $25,000.

The nine listed charities on this year's pledge card are: the National Scholarship Service and Fund for Negro Students; phillips Brooks House; the Salzburg Seminar; the World Student Service Fund; the American Friends Service Committee; the Boston Community Fund; CARE: the Children's Hospital; the Damon Runyon Cancer Fund; and the American Cancer Society.

Ira H. Peterman '52, chairman of the drive, pointed out that the nine causes "were selected for their effective way of doing a worthy job." He added that the first four charities on the list are almost entirely dependent on student contributions.

As in previous years, students can also make donations to any other recognized charity of their choice.

Nearly $19,000 Last Year

Last year's drive netted approximately $18,684.16 in contributions to 77 different charities. Lowell topped the other Houses in fund raising, and donations from Yard residents totalled $5,174.94.

The only change from last year's list of charities has been the addition of the World Student Service Fund. The most popular cause in the 1950-51 campaign was the Damon Runyon Cancer Fund.