Class of '44, 1050 Strong, Registers Today At Memorial Hall; Dean Chase Sounds Welcome

Larger by 50 students than the Freshman class of a year ago, the Class of 1944 will open its Harvard College career today by registering, 1050 strong, at Memorial Hall.

The College has increased the size of its first-year class over the normal 1,000, officials explained yesterday, to take care of possible vacancies in case any students are called into the government services or enlist voluntarily.

Total Sizes Remain Static

The sizes of the College and of the University as a whole are not expected to change much this year from their totals of last fall. About 2,600 upper-classmen will probably register tomorrow morning and Monday, to bring the enrollment to 3,650.

Advance indications also are that the University, including the eleven graduate schools as well as the College, will remain at approximately its 1939 level of 7,990. No large changes are anticipated in any department. Most of the graduate schools will hold registration on Monday.

Welcoming Tonight

All the new men will be welcomed tonight at a reception in the Union at 7:30 o'clock. George H. Chase, Dean of the University and Acting Dean of the College will preside at the meeting, and the speakers will include the Honorable Christian A. Herter, Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Richard M. Gummere, chairman of the Committee on Admission; and John H. Finley, Jr., associate professor of Greek and Latin.

To accomodate the increased number Freshmen, the College has opened a new dormitory unit at 24 Quincy Street, across the street from the Yard. The new unit, formerly a private residence, will be known as Farlow House, and will provide rooms for 26 men.

Last year the College opened a similar unit, Walker House, at 40 Quincy Street.