PBH Tentatively Backs Aid to Religious Groups

A previously hostile Philips Brooks House cabinet has tentatively approved a modified version of Graduate Secretary Cornelius D. Hastie's plan to extend the House's endowment and facilities to University religious groups.

The approval came only after Hastie agreed that the undergraduate Association, which is secular, would be considered first in the annual budget for PBH endowments.

The Graduate Secretary also agreed to the following points:

1) No action be taken to implement the invitation during this academic year.

2) The religious groups be responsible for raising a large portion of their own finances.

3) The Graduate Secretary is not to be the pastor to a religious group nor to show favoritism to any religious group within PBH.

4) The religious groups are not to use the name PBH in their title.

Hastio also emphasized that the invitation would always be open to the College's three major religious groups.

The vote of approval came by a bare six votes out of 11 cast. Two cabinet members voiced opinion against the plan, while three others abstained. Five members failed to attend the meeting.

Hastie modified his plan after the PBH Association Cabinet had voiced disapproval of the original program last Friday. Despite the modifications, however, Hastile's plans for Protestant ecumenical society within PBH remain intact. Such a group would include representatives of all Protestant sects.

While the Graduate Secretary considered the approval important to the progress of the plan, the Cabinet lacked the power either to block or put into action Hastile's plan. The invitation to religious groups concerns the use of House meeting rooms and House funds, and thus is outside the jurisdiction of the undergraduate cabinet.