FIGURES SHOW UNION FULFILLING PURPOSE

The Harvard Union, designed by its founder, Major Henry Lee Higginson '82, to be a general club for all University students, after a long history of alternate threatening failure and indifferent success, is at last fulfilling that original purpose.

This is the conclusion indicated by figures of membership and attendance, covering the first half of the current year, which were recently given out by the Comptroller of the University.

Between 800 and 900 members, out of a total membership of 1900, use the Union every day as shown by the daily door-count. This figure contrasts with the door-count of 450 of the Harvard Club of Boston, a typical, active city club, and it shows a great increase over door-counts of past years. Daily, 450 meals are served, and large numbers of men use the library, reading, lounging, and billiard rooms. In addition, the Union promises to be financially self-supporting this year for the first time. The turn-over this year was approximately $150,000.

New System Responsible

These conditions, unprecedented in former years are largely due to the new system of management, now in its second year. In 1919, when the Union was run entirely by undergraduates, it was taken over by the University to avoid a complete shutdown. Three years later was installed the present system of management, whereby the Comptroller handles the financial, and a Graduate Secretary the social direction of the organization. Coincident with this change comes the inauguration of the practice of running the Union in every respect like an ordinary club. The success of these new policies is assured by the results in this second year of their operation.