Matthews Joins Coed Ranks in Yard

Last Fall, when 200 Radcliffe freshmen became the first women to reside officially in the Yard, President Bok predicted that the precedent-breaking "pioneers" would foster "an aura of graciousness and scholarly virtue."

Although coeducation in the Yard so far has not produced any noticeable atmosphere of "graciousness and scholarly virtue," few would disagree that the addition of Radcliffe freshmen has been a step forward.

With the arrival of the newest batch of freshmen this week, the Yard will be further emancipated from tradition: As the number of Yardling women increases to 260, the Yard will house a large majority (55 per cent) of the University's first-year women. And not only will Matthews Hall be added to the five Yard dorms which house women from the Class of '76, but the freshmen dean's office has increased sexual integration of this year's class by breaking down most of last year's all-female entries.

Grays Hall offers the most integrated situation for the new arrivals--coeducation by suites--while Thayer, Weld and the one entry in Hollis including women are divided by floors. Matthews will house women on the third, fourth and fifth floors, while Stoughton's women will again be segregated in one entry.

W.C. Burriss Young '55, associated dean of freshmen, explained last week the Administration eased barriers between the Yard's men and women because of last year's success and because 60 additional women are moving into the Yard this year. Last Spring, the Committee on Houses and Undergraduate Life ordered the increase to reduce the proportion of first-year students living at Radcliffe.

Although more attractive with the addition of women, the Yard is not about to win any Affirmative Action award. Its male-female ratio remains at about 4 to 1, while the Quad sports almost a 1 to 1 balance. Now, with less than half of the Radcliffe freshman class living in the Quad, the Yard's sex ratio has probably become fixed for the time being, although the September 1974 opening of Canday Hall, a new freshman dorm, may affect it somewhat.

The monastic fate of Claverly, the Union dorms and the Yard halls near Cambridge streets (i.e. Wigglesworth) also seems all but sealed. Security considerations prevent Radcliffe freshmen from living in these dorms, Young maintains. He explained that buildings located away from the streets are historically more secure and less susceptible to Cantabridgian Peeping Toms, who apparently concern Harvard as much as crime.

Secondary factors in placing Radcliffe freshmen, Young said, were concern with the danger of isolating the women in pockets around the Yard and with the inadequacy of some sanitary facilities.

Ironically the poor sex ratio and limited distribution of women in the Yard have created less of a problem to Harvard and Radcliffe than the success of the experiment itself, which has exacerbated a serious problem facing both colleges--the growing unpopularity of Radcliffe housing.

Last May, when 138 freshmen drew assignments to the Quad against their will, the effect of placing women in the Yard was clearly demonstrated. While almost one-half of the women from the Quad selected a 'Cliffe House as one of their five choices, only ten of their 200 classmates living in the Yard requested North, South or Currier Houses.

If the Yard's popularity continues to grow, the word may even reach freshmen before they arrive in Cambridge, leading to an eventual overapplication for housing assignments in the Yard. Fortunately in the last two years numerous indications of "no preference" have permitted all Radcliffe freshmen to live where they choose. But if that situation changes President Bok may someday face Radcliffe freshmen unwilling to accept assignment to the 'Cliffe with an attitude of "graciousness and scholarly virtue."