Matthews Hall to Become Coed; Male Citadel Succumbs at Last

Matthews Hall, one of the largest remaining citadels of the all-male-dorm tradition, will probably become coeducational next year.

The possibility of the change was announced by F. Skiddy von Stade Jr. '38, dean of Freshmen, in a meeting with the freshmen proctors last Monday.

The change will occur in order to house 60 additional female students in the Yard. The increase of 60 women in the Yard was precipitated by a CHUL vote to better the male-to-female ratio from five to one to four to one in the Yard.

Matthews currently houses 160 males and some characterize it as the giant "locker room."

Kenneth V. Hachikian '71, a Matthews proctor, said yesterday that he has observed a higher level of sexual frustration among Matthews residents this year because "women are comparatively inaccessible to guys in Matthews."

Charles L. Johnson, another Matthews proctor, said that the change will be good because "the guys will stop looking at all women as sexual objects."

Although the proctors agree that the move will be good for the students, some of the present inhabitants of Matthews do not favor the change.

They say that the freedom of running naked around the halls and being generally rowdy will be restricted.

Matthews became famous this year throughout the Yard for a water fight that attracted the police, W.C. Burriss Young '55, associate dean of Freshmen, and eventually the Buildings and Grounds Department.

Matthews residents also instigated a massive Yard riot this Fall and sponsored a "jockathon." In the "jockathon" a resident ran around the Yard wearing only an athletic supporter to win a case of beer.