HUC Report Gains Favor With Masters

A majority of the House Masters yesterday expressed qualified approval of the Harvard Undergraduate Council's recommendation that Harvard consider appointing non-faculty Masters.

"I believe a long-term appointment of that kind could be extremely satisfactory, if the person's intellectual ability were recognized both by those outside the University and by the student," Bruce K. Chalmers, Master of Winthrop House said last night.

Most other Masters had similar reservations about the proposal, but said that they were inclined to favor it.

John H. Finley Jr. '25, Master of Eliot House, said that a background in the Harvard Houses might be a better qualification for a Master than a position on the Harvard Faculty.

"It would be wise to concern ourselves, not with the appointment of an academic man, but with possible appointment of a man who has grown up in the Houses," he said.

John M. Bullitt, Master of Quincy House, also voiced approval of the proposal. "I meet a considerable number of students through teaching, but I also know many as result of House activities," he said. "I don't think lack of class contact would be a prohibitive disadvantage to a non-faculty member."

Suggest Trial Run

Several Masters suggested that, as a trial run for the proposal, someone from outside the Faculty should be named an Acting Master during a regular Master's sabbatical leave.

But Alwin M. Pappenheimer '29. Master of Dunster House, said he disapproved of the proposal.

"I wouldn't in general be enthusiastic about this sort of thing," Pappenheimer explained. "Whoever is appointed to a mastership should be given a teaching assignment as well. He should be a member of some department."

The HUC recommendation was part of a report sent to President Pusey and Dean Watson last month. The report suggested that Harvard follow the example of Yale's Pierson College, which recently named noted author John Hersey as its master.