Radcliffe Authorities Lock Quad Field House

The Radcliffe Field House was closed to individual students last week because of "parietal abuses." Mr. Robert B. Gates, Director of Buildings and Grounds and Optional Services, ordered the lock on the Field House changed, and has not allowed the key to be used by Radcliffe students.

Formerly any Radcliffe student could study in the Field House with a male companion until midnight. For the past three years a key has been available at the Holmes Hall bell desk, to be signed out when borrowed. This made the Field House the only building at Radcliffe legally available to 'Cliffies and their dates every night.

Miss Mary H. Winslow, Director of Residence at Radcliffe, Miss Mary G. Paget, Co-ordinator of Recreational Activities, and Gates jointly reached the decision to shut the building. The house will remain closed until "a new policy for access to the key is decided upon," Miss Paget said yesterday.

In the past the key has been continually lost and unauthorized duplicates have been made. Moreover, because students signed the key out under assumed names, officials could not trace the individuals responsible for the rule infractions.

Radcliffe night watchmen have also reported that various students sometimes remained in the building after midnight. Some climbed in through the windows after hours. The situation prompted one Radcliffe official to term the Field House, "a necking hangout."

Miss Paget stated that RGA may be consulted about the infractions. She hopes the building will eventually be opened to a number of girls who would like to use the second floor as an art studio. As yet, however, no answer has been found to the problem of allowing access to only those girls who would use the building for constructive purposes.