Definitive?

After a month of much squawking, which evidently surprised College officials no end, the once rigid, now plastic parietal rules may undergo yet another revision. The return of Saturday's afternoon privilege is a welcome concession. It is all the more welcome because whatever liberality moved it may prevent the restrictions on Saturday evening permissions the Housemasters Committee was threatening a few weeks ago.

From a purely pragmatic view, any relaxation of the rules will do. Saturdays are especially important, since the privilege is used most then, and if the standard is to be a simple matter of counting the number of girls brought into the Houses under a particular rule, the proposal now before the Faculty deserves wild praise.

Yet, despite the dilemma of the gift horse's mouth and despite the advantages of a one to eleven permission on Saturdays, there are still objections which must be voiced.

The case made for eliminating afternoon rights was based on the interruptions relaxed rules might involve for House members. Since there are always more women running about on Saturdays, and therefore the threat of disturbance is greater, this argument logically requires more stringency on that day. Presumably, then, by liberalizing Saturday rules the deans are junking this line of thought. This has not been made explicit, though, and our misgivings will remain until it has.

Secondly, to the extent that this new rule limits social activity to weekends, clearing the week-days of feminine invasion, it means ordering and patterning undergraduates' life, something we abhor. Either University Hall considers students mature enough to run their own affairs or it does not, and so long as any limits but the most essential, any above the absolute minimum, are maintained, it is clear that the deans take the dimmer view.

We do not, and therefore we hardly think the latest revision warrants running out any flags. Whether it is passed or not, we trust the decision will not be the final word.