Psychology Society Fades After 70 Contribute Dues

More than 70 students paid dues totaling $35 to the Harvard Psychological Society last fall and have heard nothing from the organization since, it was learned yesterday.

"The Society has just sort of gone defunct," George P. Canellos '56, its elected treasurer, said last night.

Paul F. De Paola '55, president of the organization, said that the group held an organizational meeting in November and learned by the poor attendance then that "people outside of the Psychology Department just aren't interested in the subject." The Society has not met or had any contact with its membership since that time, De Paola stated.

William S. Verplanck, assistant professor of Psychology and faculty sponsor of the Society, said yesterday he is "well aware that the group has not had a planned meeting all year." He attributed this inactivity to a lack of interest among students.

When informed that the Society had collected $25 in dues, Verplanck said: "My only comment on that is 'By God!'"

"Last I've Seen of it"

Canellos, who collected the dues money, said he gave it to Verplanck around mid-years and "that's the last I've seen of it. If the organization is not going to have a program," he added, "the just thing to do is to return the money. . . . Not one cent of the dues has been spent," Canellos stated.

De Paola, who now has the money, agreed last night that "the best thing to do is to return it." But "some of the original sum was spent to print notices for the Society's first meeting," he asserted.

De Paola and Verplanck both claimed that notice cards announcing this meeting were circulated throughout the College. "Maybe students don't read the right bulletin boards," Verplanck suggested.

Chris G. Palaces '56, secretary of the Society, complained yesterday that De Paola last fall was "just too busy to get around to organizing the group."

Verplanck, however, said he "knows of no one by the name of Palacas" and has complete confidence in DePaola's sincerity. But because of the organization's inactivity, the professor added, he "would be rather discouraged about sponsoring it again."

De Paola later last night said he planned to meet with Verplanck today and "decide what to do."