They Burned Their Books At B-School

Dozens of first-year Business School students burned their books last night in front of Kresge Hall.

The object of their protest was the most expensive Business School first-year text-retailing at $17.50-called Analysis of Decisions Under Uncertainty, by Robert O. Schlaifer, William Ziegler Professor of Business Administration.

The text was used only seven times in a mandatory course at the School called Managerial Economics Reporting and Control Reporting and Control (MERC II). Last year, MERC II was structured more completely around the book. which first emerged in its expensive hardcover edition this year.

"This is the most unclearly written book in the English language on the subject," said John E. Gilster, a first-year MBA student. One student said, "The smell of the fire is due to the content of the book." Others called the fire "putrid."

When Schlaifer found out about the book-burning, he said. "Well for Heaven's sake! I guess they burned it because they find the book difficult. But I really don't give a good goddamn one way or the other. If they enjoy the fire they should certainly be allowed to do it."

Controversy over Analysis of Decisions Under Uncertainty was first aired publicly in an anonymous letter to the HarBus News on Dec. 18. 1969.

The letter states, "the author [of the book] fills 741 pages with what has to be one of the wordiest, most inefficient logical texts around."

Plans for last night's book-burning began last Thursday at lunch. The final exam in MERC It took place on Friday.

John W. Pratt, professor of Business Administration and currently in charge of the course, said, "I don't think the book is unclear. The problem is likely to be that it's too detailed for easy reading."

How Do I Burn Thee

When Schlaifer asked how a book with such a heavy cover could be burned, he was told "page by page." He replied, "That's not the way to have a real book-burning."