Dunster Petition Protests Closing Of Dining Room

The Master of Dunster House, the Allston-Burr Senior Tutor, and most of the resident tutors have signed a petition demanding that construction plans for Mather House be changed in order to permit the Dunster House dining hall to stay open next Spring.

More than 90 per cent of Dunster's resident students also signed the petition, which states that Dunster is "appalled that University officials would destroy the very institution that they themselves profess to be the very heart of the Harvard experience."

Master Alwin M. Pappenheimer Jr. '29 told the House last week that the Administration had decided to close the dining hall for a substantial part of the 1969 Spring term to renovate the kitchen which will serve both Dunster and Mather in September, 1969.

Although Pappenheimer then said "there's no stopping them [the Administration] now," he yesterday modified his opinion and said he "saw some hope for the situation." He expressed the utmost confidence in the good-will and openminded position of Arthur D. Trottenberg '48, assistant dean of resources and planning.

Alternatives

Trottenberg said last week that Dunster students would probably be divided into contingents and assigned to the various Houses. Yesterday he said he didn't know what was going to happen and that plans would have to be made after a full exploration of all the alternatives.

Trottenberg added that he will visit Dunster House on April 24 to discuss "whatever the Senior Common Room and the students they invite wish to discuss."

The petition, drawn up by Mark A. Zern '69, concludes that the educational and social gain of keeping the dining hall open is worth any "reasonable expenditure." The petition will be circulated in the other Houses today.

Thomas J. Shields '69, house committee chairman, and Peter W. Schandorff '68 stated the students' case for leaving the dining hall open in a three-page letter sent to President Pusey and other University officials.