Buttrick Appointed as PBH Committee Head

In an appointment reaffirming the University's linkage of Phillips Brooks House with religion, the Corporation has named George A. Buttrick, Chairman of the Board of Preachers, to head the powerful PBH Committee.

At the same time the Corporation elected four new members to the group. They are Sheldon Glueck, Roscoe Pound Professor of Law and an expert on juvenile delinquency; Dana M. Cotton, Director of Placement in the Graduate School of Education; Cora A. DuBois, Stone-Radcliffe Professor Anthropology; and Dana L. Farnsworth, Director of University Health Services. Dean Leighton, Dean Bender, and Elliott Perkins '23, Master of Lowell House, were all reappointed to the group.

In his new position, Buttrick will head the group directly responsible for determining all Phillips Brooks House policy. Most important on the committee's current agenda is consideration of Graduate Secretary Cornelius DeW. Hastle's plans to extend PBH office space and endowment to University religions groups.

The group also holds the power to recommend the appointment of the Graduate Secretary, and will consider the renewal of Hastie's two year contract this spring.

Buttrick's appointment to head the committee was indicated two years ago when Paul H. Buck, then Provost of the University, completed an extensive study of PBH and its activities. At the time, shortly after the retirement of Dean Sperry as Chairman of the Board of Preacher's, Buck stated that Sperry's successor would be expected to head the Brooks House group.

PBH Puzzled

The one and a half year interim between Sperry's retirement and Buttrick's appointment, and the installment of a new president, however, created doubt as to whether Buck's plans would be fulfilled. PBH leaders also were puzzled when the Overseers failed to name Buttrick to the PBH chairmanship at the time of his appointment this fall to head the Board of Preachers.

Leaders of the student PBH Association last night praised the appointment of Buttrick and said they expected to see, no departure from the House's present secular status. Douglas W. Hunt '55, PBHA president, pointed out that during most of the House's history, clergymen have served on the PBH committee and at the same time recognized the non-religious character of the organization. Hunt also said he was happy with the new Association Committee, which was announced yesterday.

Included in the latter, a purely advisory group of PBHA alumni, are Buttrick, Leighton, Hastie, Hunt, and William J. A. Jablonsky, all ex-officio members, and Henry Landau 1G, PBH president in 1952-53, William G. Saltonstall '28, principal of Phillips Exeter Academy, and Irving S. Michelman '39, a former PBH Social Service Committee Chairman.