Seething Sea of Sub Debs Drinks Tea in Smith Hall--Happy Mothers Look on as Syndicate of Freshmen Entertains

Old Back Bay came to Harvard on Saturday afternoon, and the much-sought Freshman stags were hosts instead of guests.

A tea of surprising size was held in George Smith Hall between the hours of four and seven. Backed by obliging mothers, a group of five Freshmen arranged and carried through this social innovation.

Their invitations were accepted by 75 young ladies, among whom were a large number of next year's debutantes, and by twice that number of gentlemen, who were with few exceptions Freshmen. To accommodate such a throng five adjoining suits were thrown open to one another and decked with furniture suited to the occasion, in place of the more ordinary pieces, temporarily abandoned. In each room sat the mother of one of the five, behind her a white-covered, sandwich-laden table. The floor of one room was bared, while a phonograph tempted the gay company to dance.

Under the archway which faces Standish was a blue-clad youth, who directed the fair, bewildered guests and warded them off from entries in which they were not expected. Puzzled occupants who were not included gaped from open windows or stood in groups, eyeing each other with questioning glances as the ladies began to arrive. Perhaps it was fortunate that those invited came not in a body but in straggling numbers, for at the height of the merriment the capacity of the five suites was sorely taxed.

The size of the affair is what makes it remarkable. Small teas in the dormitory rooms have occurred before with some frequency; but only five or six were present at these, in contrast with the startling number at this recent event. The proctors, although they were quite willing to give permission, admitted surprise and joined with others in wondering if this is to be precedent for the transfer to Cambridge of the famous Back Bay quantity production tradition.