The display of white handkerchiefs notwithstanding, more motives than revenge made people happy over the outcome of Saturday's game. The Class of 1954 realized its ambition of seeing Yale beaten and could graduate content. Other Harvard supporters could take the win over Yale as final proof that local football has regained its equilibrium.

To see how far Harvard football has come in so short a time, look back only to 1949, when the scores were lop-sided and the field strewn with injured Crimson players. Since that time, there has been a slow accretion of skill and spirit, as shown in the seasonal advance from one, to three, to five and now six victories. Credit for this steady improvement goes in part to those players who worked up through the Freshman and Junior Varsity to the performances of last Saturday and to the coaches who patiently molded them into a team.

Also important, however, is the planning by the College of a sane schedule for Harvard football, a schedule which has helped to keep Ivy League standards above the commercialism prevalent in intercollegiate athletics today. By holding to its standards, the League has fostered good, competitive football. This year, no more than two touchdowns separated Harvard from any of its Ivy opponents. For this reason, the planned Ivy Group takes on a special importance as it will provide a continued opportunity for hard, spirited, but still amateur games. It is only under the proposed system that Ivy football will be able to continue the close competition which marked this season.