WE ARE SEVEN

The University has decided to grant temporary accommodations, in Apley, Claverly, and Divinity, Halls to the one hundred and twenty five freshmen unplaced in the Houses. This situation is the outgrowth of two factors, the prohibitive higher bracket in House room rents and the admission this year of an abnormally large Freshman class. Although the men in question will remain on the waiting lists for midyear vacancies, it is reasonable to infer that the present composition of the overflow will not change materially throughout next year.

But the constant development of the House Plan makes the existence of a large class debarred of its privileges particularly undesirable. Obviously House spirit, whatever dimensions it may have assumed at this stage, is a delight in which they will be unable to indulge. For this problem no ready remedy suggests itself. But residence in the Houses carries advantages of a more tangible kind, the use of the dining halls and libraries, and it is unnecessary that these men should be deprived of them.

Allotment of the overflow might be made on an equal basis to the dining halls and libraries of each of the Houses. In view of the fact that so many expensive suites will be vacant in each House, the dining arrangements should be equal to the emergency. To obviate the criticism that House members might be paying for privileges enjoyed by outsiders, a fee of ten dollars could be charged for the use of a House library. Clearly the situation must be avoided in the future through more cautious admission and downward revisions in rental scales, but these expedients would insure that the present overflow of innocent victims would not be seriously inconvenienced.