You know it's Junior Parents Weekend when third-year undergraduates start making mad dashes to the laundry room and going on quests for the elusive vacuum cleaner.

As their children hurried to ready their rooms for parental inspection, parents arrived in droves yesterday to get a taste of Harvard's intellectual and social environment.

Along with attending panel discussions and lectures, many parents have begun visiting their children's classes and touring the College's campus.

The weekend--organized by the Harvard-Radcliffe Parents Association--drew close to 1000 parents this year, estimated Assistant Dean of Students Ellen H. Towne, who is the association's director.

Towne said the weekend has been a success so far, based on high attendance for yesterday's organized lectures and Crimson Key tours.

"We are pleased with the level of interest inthe events we have planned for them," she said.

Some parents who arrived yesterday attended alecture by Dillon Professor of InternationalAffairs Joseph S. Nye and a panel discussion byjunior student leaders on extracurricularactivities.

Kuo-Chen and Fang Yeh of Westfield, N.J.,parents of Jane Yeh '93 of Adams House, attendedNye's lecture on the "New World Order" yesterday.

Said Kuo-Chen Yeh about the address, "Weenjoyed [Nye's] lecture very much."

The Yehs said they also plan to visit Harvard'sBotanical Museum this weekend.

While some parents filed into lecture halls,Ron and Adrienne Yank of Oakland, California,parents of Veronica A. Yank '93 of Winthrop House,found a less conventional way to keep themselvesbusy yesterday.

"We ran along the Charles [yesterday morning],"Adrienne Yank said. "We're dedicated joggers."

"It's fun feeling like a student again," shesaid.

And some chose more traditional parents'weekend activities, like the Crimson Key Societytour. Lucienne D. Lester '94, a Crimson Key memberand tour coordinator, said about 100 parentsattended the tour that left yesterday at 1 p.m.from Holyoke Center. Some students accompaniedtheir parents on the tour, Lester said.

While many parents said they are enjoying theweekend thus far, a few had suggestions for waysto improve it in the future.

Richard and Barbara Winter, who made the tripfrom Cleveland to see their son, Kenneth R. Winter'93 of Eliot house, said they wished there weremore organized events for parents in the evenings.

"Evening activities are something I would haveliked to have seen," said Barbara Winter