Mrs. Giard Guide to Social World of Business School

Just because a man is in uniform doesn't mean that he doesn't come up to the age-old definition of being a social animal, and the social animals on the Soldiers Field side of the Charles are plenty much dependent on Mrs. Eugene Giard for their opportunities to continue on that plane.

Nominally "Assistant to the Dean of the Business School in charge of Social Activities," Mrs. Giard now finds herself running dances for the members of every uniformed contingent at least twice--when they come and when they go.

Her steadily-shrinking civilian clientele at the Busy School has recently objected to her efforts for the servicemen, claiming that she gets "all the good girls" for them, leaving the regular students to fond for themselves in the eternal quest. A mixer yesterday afternoon for all men at the School, plus any dates they may bring, plus representatives of several reputable schools (reputable meaning having attractive girls) is her answer to this, plus the statement that the IA'ers have been here long enough to have their own girls.

Business On Upswing

But calling her a one-woman dance committee-doesn't come close to describing her duties. For example, she is in charge of Sherman Hall, where wives kill time waiting for their husbands, and the men may meet their girls. This task has recently skyrocketed, since Sherman serves 2800 people a month now instead of the former average of about 400.

Dances and parties, however, are her main interest. Since establishing contacts with the various girls' schools and colleges in the Boston area, these institutions have simplified matters by throwing all sorts of parties for the B School's service men, and she has little to do but act as a sort of coordinator.

Unfortunately, the penchant to give parties for eligible young officers is not confined to schools, which have an abundant supply of equally eligible young ladies. Mrs. Giard has had to protect "her boys" from the wiles of fond mothers who wished to paim off their less popular daughters on the unsuspecting men.

In the Best of Places

On one occasion, she has had to combat the wiles of another type of women. This happened when a group of service, men on the way to a party given for them in one of Boston's dignified hotels were accosted. The embarrassed men thanked her for saving them from "the fate worse than death," while the hotel manager soon reported the additional of two house detectives.

During World War I. Mrs. Giard, then just out of college, served as personnel manager in a midwestern factory and won some sort of fame because if had the lowest turnover rate of any war industry in the area.

Right now, she is working in au education factory with an almost astronomical turnover, and her goal is to make the trainees who come to the Business School for a short period of time get some appreciation of Harvard's traditions, and more important feel at home here.