Burke Invites All Abolition Petitions Approved by Dean

Edward F. Burke '50, president of the Student Council, last night invited anyone who wishes to re-open "legally" the issue of Council abolition to do so by a petition approved by the Dean's Office.

The results of the petition, which the Council circulated Wednesday to collect student opinion on the functions and electoral structure of the Council, indicated that the College wanted to continue the Council, Burke said, though this was not the purpose of the poll.

Primarily, he explained, the poll was designed as an aid to the current revision of the Council's Constitution.

This poll asked for a largely-elective council that would spend at least half its time in advisory functions to the University administration.

Roy M. Goodman '51, treasurer of the Council and the author of the poll, said he and his colleagues did not circulate it support the status quo of the Council.

Jerome S. Bruner, associate professor of Psychology and an expert on polling techniques, noted yesterday that written comments on polls are usually of a "negative" or purely destructive nature. The low incidence of such remarks on the questionnaires was unusual, he said.

Leaders of the abolitionist movement were not available last night to state whether or not they would take up Burke's invitation.

Meanwhile the Council Committee on Constitutional Revision, headed by Charles R. Brynteson '50 continued its nightly meetings last night. Brynteson was not prepared to say when he would have the first draft of a new Constitution ready but reported that progress on the work was "very favorable." The poll results have been taken into consideration in this project.