Radcliffe Opinions Vary on Proposed Merger of Exams

Radcliffe opinion on the proposed joint examination plan ranged yesterday from snap disapproval to a willingness to hear the whole story, but most 'Cliffedwellers voiced deep dismay at the prospect of "going formal" to a date with a blue book. Customary 'Cliffe garb for exams is an ensemble of beat-up blue jeans, sneakers, and size 40 shirt, which are frowned upon in the Yard.

Supervision Troubling

What troubled most girls was the prospect of supervision by an eagle-eyed proctor. "I'm fidgety enough during a final," said an Annex junior. "if I knew I couldn't write half a book; if proctors were prowling around behind me, I couldn't write at all."

A freshman described her own terrifying experience with proctors. "I took an hour exam at Harvard," she said. "May pen went dry and I tried to borrow ink from a neighbor. You'd have thought I'd thrown a bomb. The proctors all rushed in my direction, whispering and shushing with enough racket to disrupt the whole room for five minutes."

Scheme Needs Study

Other opinions voiced were preference for a small examination group, the "psychological boon" of being free to pace corridors or Yard unaccompanied during exams, and the question whether abandonment of the honor system will injure Student Government.

Among those who approved of Provost Buck's plan were seniors and juniors who will not be affected by the merger, even if adopted, and many from all classes who believe that the whole scheme needs careful study.

A sophomore who carried a rabbit and lollipops to 'Cliffe tests, for luck and sustenance, said, "At Harvard, I wouldn't dare!"