Frosh to View Drug, Alcohol Skits

A student group formed to educate about drug and alcohol use will perform skits for freshman proctor groups to broaden discussion of how Harvard students cope with these issues.

Project A.D.D., which stands for "Alcohol and Drug Dialogue," will begin its second year of outreach next Thursday when it meets with Thayer Hall freshmen.

"We are not going in with the point of view to tell [the students] to drink or not to drink," said Jamelle M. Gardine '91, the group's co-director. "Whether they drink or not, it is important to talk about these issues."

The group, created in spring 1987, has expanded its discussions to cover drug issues this year. Group members will act out a situation in which a student confronts a friend about his drinking. The skits will be conducted during proctor group study breaks and followed by a discussion with the freshman audience.

Students `Vote' In Mock Election

Harvard students voted for President a week early yesterday.

The Institute of Politics (IOP) Student Advisory Committee held its second presidential straw poll in all the Houses and the Freshman Union.

Straw Poll Coordinator Kathryn Keough '89 said she expected about 3000 undergraduates to "vote" in the mock election. Members will tabulate the results by Thursday, using a Boston University computer, she said.

Students voted for Bush, Dukakis, Other or Undecided. The ballot asked students to list their gender, ethnic affiliation, home state, party affiliation and House affiliation, and whether they planned to vote November 8.

Both Democrats and Republicans agreed Dukakis would win the poll. "We'd be foolish to expect a Bush win," said David R. Ackley '91, co-chair of Harvard Students for Bush.

"They're pretty bright people here. I can't imagine students voting for Bush," said Linda D. Rottenberg '90, co-chair of Harvard Students for Dukakis-Bentsen. She predicted a 30-point margin of victory for Dukakis.

The first IOP straw poll, in 1984, drew national attention when Democratic nominee Walter F. Mondale beat Ronald Reagan by 61 percent to 28 percent.

Jazz Musicians Jam at Agassiz

Two jazz musicians jammed and jawboned yesterday in Agassiz Theater, showing Satchmo wannabees how to swing.

Saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom and pianist Harry Connick Jr. came to Harvard to offer workshops and classes as part of the New Artists Series of the Learning from Performers program. The two jazz artists will continue meeting with interested students today.

After playing for a few minutes, the musicians listened to students play and critiqued their performances. Connick told one pianist, "Eliminate all grace notes--you sound like a ninny when you play like that," then sat down at the piano and showed a better way to handle the piece.

"Try to concentrate on the theme," he said. "You have to approach the music with a ferociousness."

Connick said he thought the best jazz musicians were Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. "They understood blues--they captured the essence of the American experience."

"You need a will to play music," said Connick, to fight being sucked into "the mire of commercialism."