Von Stade Wrote Letter Against Merger, Saw No Benefit in Educating More Women

F. Skiddy von Stade Jr. '38, dean of Freshmen and Master of Mather House, wrote a letter on merger last year arguing strongly against an increased number of women at Radcliffe.

"When I see the bright, well-educated, but relatively dull housewives who attended the 'Seven Sisters,' I honestly shudder at the thought of changing the balance of males vs females at Harvard," he said in the letter.

The letter, given yesterday to the CRIMSON by an anonymous source, was written to David K. Smith '58, Radcliffe dean of Admissions until last summer. It was dated Aug. 25, 1969.

With the letter was a request from Smith, dated Aug. 12, 1969, asking von Stade for his views on the proportion of undergraduate men to women. Smith stated in the letter that he was "trying to get a variety of other people connected with the University" to comment on the question as background for a discussion he was planning with Radcliffe alumnae.

Smith said last night that he had received the letter from von Stade.

Von Stade refused last night to confirm that he had written it, but added that "it's not far from my opinion."