Financial need shouldn’t prevent spirited Elis from taking the bus

To the Editor:

We appreciate the issues raised by Karen Bemis, Carolynn Molleur-Hinteregger and Amanda Wittenstein in their op-ed piece (“Cost of Boston trip may be prohibitive,” 11/15). The issue of potential economic hardship for some students came up in the course of the Council’s discussion about whether to continue subsidizing the bus service and was a genuine concern of all the Masters. Since virtually all of us have in place discrete policies and practices of subsidizing events for individual students who could not otherwise participate, we felt comfortable in discontinuing the bus service. In keeping with this spirit, students who want to attend The Game but are unable because of financial need should feel free to approach the master of their college for assistance.

Judith Krauss

Nov. 15

The writer is the master of Silliman College and the chairwoman of the Council of Masters.

Top-10 list left out one important element of the Game experience

To the Editor:

Yesterday’s op-ed page included columnist Steven Engler’s “10 reasons why The Game is still worth it.” Engler was apt in including “6. Laugh at the tourists,” “2. Revel in the fact that you did not go to Harvard” and the classic “1. No school on Monday.” Yep, it is pretty fantastic that the Cantabs go from their stadium to their textbooks — is that a lone violin playing a somber tune? I can almost hear it … almost — but Engler left out an aspect of The Game that trumps a number of the reasons he gave to take the trip up to Lamebridge. Steven, you forgot the Band.

I’m fairly sure most Yalies have seen at least one Yale Precision Marching Band halftime show (I do hope you enjoyed our Betty T. at Yale-Princeton on Saturday; she was truly all kinds of special), but if you haven’t seen us at The Game, you’ve seen us at our finest.

For Yale’s arch-rival, the YPMB puts on a spectacle, not some mere show. Well over 1,000 man-hours are being invested into the halftime show, which lasts 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Band members are putting in the upwards of 12 hours each day this week to build props and write plot. Clothes are ruined, sleep is lost, and memories are made. The props will be awe-inspiring, the script second to none, and our musical arrangements will leave you jammin’ long after we stop playing.

Come hear the YPMB, at halftime and in the stands, and no matter what the outcome of the Game, you’ll be proud to be an Eli.

Christopher Young

Nov. 15

The writer is a section leader in the YPMB and a staff photographer for the News.