Cliffe Spirit Storms as Off-Campus Houses Face Proposed Destruction

Enthusiasm has been mounting rapidly for the preservation of off-campus living at Radcliffe, as yellow paper petitions circulate on and off the quad.

At Everett, "feeling is very strong--we are quite anxious," one girl said. Although only half the residents had signed the petition so far, she felt sure that everyone would. (It reads "We, the undersigned, emphatically protest the inspending destruction of off-campus houses, and off-campus living.")

And at Saville, the other of the two doomed houses, a girl interrupted a conversation to run and sign the posted petition. "The more we think about it, the more worked up we get," she said.

Just under three-quarters of Gilman House had signed as of last night, some with exclamation points beside their name. In Moors, freshmen were vying with each other for the petition.

Even the most vigorous preservationists were not opposed to the building of a fourth house. But they pleaded for more time and more discussion, and waxed eloquent on the unique merits of off-campus living.

"The fourth house is a good idea, but not having any off-campus housing if stupid," said Winifred Shaw '65. "I user' to think it didn't matter, but it does, because people matter. Off-campus houses have always been a good place for renegade people, for creative people. They are an ideal compromise between the regimentation of a large dormitory and the isolation of separate apartments."

The only justification 'Cliffies could see for ending off-campus housing was their expensive upkeep. "But maybe each of us could write to an alumna for money--it's worth it!" exclaimed one girl.

Singled out as the best features of off-campus life were privacy, friendliness, informality, absence of rules, variety, "the fun of moving," Edmands' zinc bathtubs, Gilman's Iron stove, and cooking one's own meals.