HSA to Start Photo Agency For Students

The Harvard Student Agencies is going into the photographic business, according to James W. Harpel '59. A new HSA division, under Harpel, will be set up to do such photographic work as portraiture, miscellaneous photography, and athletic action shots.

Business will come through solicitation and the facilities of the Student Employment Office. Harpel said that now all leads coming into that office will go to the new agency. For its actual capitalization, the agency will draw upon HSA resources for such amounts as will be needed to establish a darkroom and purchase or rent any other necessary equipment.

Aspiring HSA photographers, previously contacted by Harpel, will meet today for a test of their technical competence. Harpel, not a photographer himself, says that he has a professional student photographer in mind as his "production manager."

"Division of Labor"

"In an operation such as this," Harpel added, "you've got to have division of labor, this means that we'll have to have salesmen, photographers, and also developers" for darkroom work. He emphasized that while the organization is aimed at helping the needy student, the well-to-do photographer--if he is good--will not be discriminated against.

Employees will work on a flat rate plus commission basis, while the manager may assign his own salary with little restriction as long as "he is not piggy," Harpel said. "I think this can be something really big," he added. "It's possible that the HSA's volume may reach $500,000 a year. The corporation is young, but it's just beginning to feel its power."

It has been a stated HSA policy that it would enter into competition with no Harvard Square commercial enterprise. Harpel admitted, however, that his photographic service might enter into conflict with local businesses. "Suppose we do go into competition with a few people," Harpel suggested. "Let them do a little advertising."

Harpel claimed that the new agency would not provide unfair competition even though it will be a tax-free organization with the University's official backing.