Cliffe's Plan Could Change Lamont Rules

Girls in Lamont or reserve books in Widener are both among the possible solutions to what Radcliffe Dean of instructions Kathleen O. Elliott described yesterday as a "$64,000 question" raised by the proposal for a new Radcliffe library.

The problem concerns the 'Cliffe graduate students living immediately behind the Radcliffe Academic Quadrangle. Many of these girls take undergraduate courses requiring the use of reserve books, which they obtain in the present Radcliffe library.

If Mrs. Bunting is successful in having her "Radcliffe Study Center" built somewhere near the regular 'Cliffe dormitories, in order to get reserve books the graduates students will have to walk three-quarters of a mile in a direction completely opposite to the route they follow for classes and other business.

350 Girls involved

Ruth Porritt, Radcliffe Librarian, estimates that the about 350 girls would be involved in this predicament.

Both she and Henry James, Lamont Librarian, have mentioned opening the reserve collections in Lamont to the women graduate students. "Serious consideration will have to be given to devising something for the girls," James said yesterday.

He also suggested putting reserve books in Widener, or enlarging the present Radcliffe study facilities in the basement of Memorial Church as possible answers; but he emphasized that no definite steps have been taken.

The policy of keeping girls out of Lamont originated at Radcliffe, rather than Harvard. Mrs. Porritt said it dated from 10 years ago when "things were EGIBLE> different." However, she and James both pointed out that because Lamont is already operating at capacity, introducing more students would be a controversial move.