Hanford Rejects Freshman Plan For Associated House Members

In a preliminary report to the Freshmen Committee on Houses Dean Hanford last week concluded in regard to the plan for associate memberships in the Houses that "the disadvantages of the proposal . . . seem to outweigh the advantages of the proposal when the best interests of the House plan are given proper consideration."

The committee had projected a plan whereby men living in the halls would be able to use the facilities of the Houses including the dining halls, libraries, squash courts, and common rooms.

While a carefully survey showed that such a plan would be physically possible, with the exception of overcrowding in some of the House libraries, chief objections raised by the House masters, unanimously opposed to the plan, were that associate members would disrupt the normal community spirit of the House the report said. Fear was expressed that such an innovation might prove an entering wedge in making the Houses into dormitories.

Complete Report in Fall

A complete report on the practicability of all the Committee's proposals, which included the building of a University dining hall for those outside the Houses and the combination of Claverly, Apley, and Dudley into a House as alternatives to the associate plan, will be made by the College in the Fall. Committee members are now sounding out the sentiment among the House masters.

One hopeful fact brought out last week at a conference between Dean Hanford, Dean Leighton and Langdon P. Marvin, Jr., Homer D. Peabody, Jr., and Spencer Klaw of the Freshman Committee was that College enrollment will definitely be cut down from the present figure of 3700 to 3500 in the next few years, which will considerably scale down the number of would-be House members living outside.

Enrollment Going Down

The graduation of the large class of 1939, and the restriction of the incoming Freshman class to 1000, or even below if necessary to reduce total College enrollment to 3500, will considerably alleviate a problem which has only become acute in the past few years.

"Since the surplus of men living in residence who cannot be provided for in the Houses should be reduced to a more normal figure next year, it seems unwise to adopt any policy at this time which might lessen the general effectiveness of the Houses, such as the provision for associate members or the guarantee of admission to all Juniors and Seniors," Dean Hanford said in his report.

Significant Facts

Among significant points brought out in supplementary statistical tables was the fact that only eight members of the class of 1939 are now on the waiting list. According to reasonable predictions based on the figures for 1937 and 1938, the surplus in residence by next March should be 88.

The committee feels that the advantages of associate membership in a House which would accrue to these 88 men would far outweigh the disadvantages pointed out by House masters.

Of the 347 men rejected in the first assignment on May 7, 40, or 11.6 per cent, were on the Dean's List; only 33.3 per cent were in Group six and unsatisfactory.