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SOCIALITY.

NO WRITER ATTRIBUTED

HARVARD men are certainly as fond of social pleasures as the men of any other college; but it seems to me that this would hardly be evident to an outsider, from our ways of manifesting our tastes in this direction. We have, to be sure, a few purely social societies, others social and literary; but both, the first in particular, are limited in their scope, and of course confined to a certain number. Other means of social enjoyment in college we have not. A Harvard Union, the plan for which was ably set forth in a recent number of the "Crimson," would, setting the debates and literary work aside, do much to promote a better feeling and understanding among men of different sets. Now, it is certainly perfectly natural for men of kindred tastes to associate, and form a little, world by themselves; but is there not some slight danger of this being carried too far? Many a man who seems distasteful at first, and whom we may avoid through college, would on cultivating his acquaintance show a pleasant side of his character never before suspected to exist, and would be heartily enjoyed. We are too apt to shut ourselves up with our own friends, and from the loopholes of our retreat to view the rest of our classmates with exceedingly indifferent eyes. This is doubtless pleasant, but it would prove more beneficial to ourselves and others if we could unbend sufficiently to cultivate other acquaintances. Be it understood that I am by no means advocating the "gushingness" of the Freshmen, nor do I suggest that we should be intimate with every one; but there is a happy mean between indifference and intimacy which might be with advantage more sought after.

There is one time at which the men of a class are thrown together for social enjoyment, at a time too when the pleasantest feelings are uppermost. Our class-suppers are confessedly pleasant occasions; they are looked forward to, are attended by the majority, and are classed among the pleasantest memories of the past. Why is it, then, that at Harvard each class passes only one evening of sociality together? At many other colleges the custom prevails of having suppers every year, and everywhere, so far as my knowledge goes, these suppers form one of the pleasantest parts of college life. Would not it add much to the enjoyment as well as to the pleasant memories of the classes if this custom should be adopted here? Merely as a suggestion, I would advise the Freshman class to begin the experiment this year.

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