Thin Spread

With 350 upperclassmen designated for residence in the Apley Claverly Dudley chain and in the Yard this spring, the deconversion of 96 House rooms seems untimely. Their occupants will live in spaciousness which some cannot afford and which most find inappropriate.

The Housemasters are not primarily responsible for the move. Although several years for an approach to pre-war levels, others have accepted their role in the enlarged and more representative college. After all, House functions are not influenced by the number of men living in a suite. Ali upperclassmen are members of a House no matter where they live, and dining halls, libraries, and general activities are not made less crowded by excluding some from residence.

Paradoxically, the basic explanation for deconversion lies in the over-abundance of dormitory space in the University. The Administration has chosen to maintain the present size of the plant. To keep the income stable, therefore, it must spread a smaller population thinner. It is working toward the removal of all upperclassmen from the Yard next fall. As a result, an indirect rent rise will be felt throughout the college, with incoming freshmen bearing the heaviest load. Thinning in the Houses is the first step in this unfortunate direction.

Having accustomed a generation to less opulent conditions, the Administration now requires use of too many rooms at higher cost. A decrease in outhouse facilities would be more appropriate.