The Seven Wonders

With the fading of tutorial from the College scene has gone much of the educational value of the Houses. Once upon a time a student had a tutor in his own House, with whom he could talk and cat on an informal basis from time to time. The tutee also came to know his fellow tutees, and with them and with his tutor a relationship approaching the legendary breakfast table education was established. Two purposes were served by this system. The students were attracted to the House and also to its less intellectual activities. And the student learned a good deal more than he could in the lecture room alone.

This system was an admirable one, and no one has yet found a suitable substitute for it. A few Houses have tried dinner meetings for men in one field of concentration. But these sessions have been rare and usually unwieldly. Forums have also been tried by some Houses, and Dunster House has garnished its forums with sherry and dinner beforehand. But after the forum's speaker has finished at most meetings, the question period is monopolized by the bright boys in the field, so that there is no chance for most of the audience to participate.

Perhaps the most convenient remedy for the educational gap in the Houses would be a series of informal bull and beer sessions. At first no big name experts would be called in to cow the undergraduate talkers. Tutors and graduate students might be invited, but only on the understanding that they stimulate rather than scare off the random thoughts of the other members. Some alert House secretary might announce an enticing subject one or twice a week--or, if all went well, several subjects for several talk teams. And if the matter of the meeting veered from the Vandalian invasions to the Politbureau to the delayed buck, that would be all right too. The causes of both general education and the House Plan would be served.