Fire Department Declares Germanic Museum Unsafe

State fire inspectors ruled another University building unfit for public gatherings yesterday as the Germanic Museum's large hall, scheduled scene for the April production of "Murder in the Cathedral," was found to be unsafe for any large audience. A lack of proper emergency exists and insufficient lighting circuits were the main factors in the State board's decision, which followed a similar pre-Christmas ruling on Sanders Theatre.

Charles L. Kuhn, associate professor of Fine Arts and Curator of the Germanic Museum, explained yesterday that his department would be unable to make the changes which would be needed to permit the HTW to use the hall. "It would require hiring extra guards (for the Museum), and we can't afford that," he said.

This ruling leaves the Workshop with no home for its spring production. Director Jerome T. Kilty '50 asserted "I don't know what we'll do yet," explaining that use of Sanders Theatre cannot be counted on until various University groups, now signed up for nights in April, have been contacted. Organizations like the Band and the Glee Club are regular users of the auditorium for both concerts and rehearsals.

"We could get the Copley Theatre (in Boston) for $3,000 a week," continued Kilty, "or the New England Mutual Hall, but we don't want to go so far intown." Brattle Hall, the only other local theater, is booked throughout the spring by its regular company.

Attempts yesterday to get Memorial Hall for the performance were balked by both a procedural ruling from Registrar Sargent Kennedy '02 and a fire edict which does not allow the setting up of ordinary seats in the hall.