Plagiarism On and Off

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

A front-page article accusing the Harvard-Radcliffe Graduate Student Council of plagiarism appeared in the CRIMSON of October 15. It seems that the Publication Committee for the Harvard Handbook realized that identical material appeared in both their publication and An Unofficial Guide to Graduate Life (published by the Graduate Council and was shocked that such immorality could occur. After dutifully expressing horror and accusation on the receptive Crimson front page, the committee mercifully decided to take no action against the Council.

The Graduate Council also possesses an instructive letter from the chairman of the Handbook committee, which informs us that "The Harvard Handbook has been copyrighted with the express purpose of preventing the use of its material in any other publication. We of PBHA would very much appreciate it if you would, in the future, put in quotes whatever material you use from the Handbook and credit it to the Handbook."

Unfortunately for the committee and its attitude of injured righteousness, the facts of the situation point in a somewhat different direction. The first Unofficial Guide appeared September, 1952. The Harvard Handbook of 1952 contains nothing in common with this Guide. However, the 1953 Handbook contains verbatim the "Foreword" and about ten interior pages, including articles an "The Boston Area," "How to Meet Women," and "Finding Your Way" from the 1952 Guide. The (then) responsible Handbook committee printed an acknowledgment: "To the Graduate Student Council ... we give our warmest appreciation." Future Handbooks continued to use freely material from the successive Unofficial Guides, reprinting the sections on "Movies," "Theaters," "Music," "Culture," and "Night Life."

We are delighted that the Handbook has made use of our publication and brought its formal information to a wider readership. But most of all, we are grateful that the committee has decided not to take action against us for plagiarism. Edward M. White   Editor, Harvard-Radcliffe   Student Bulletin   David Adler   Treasurer, Graduate Student   Council