Fly Club Snafus

Students are amicably beginning to share the Fly Club garden despite some procedural mix-ups.

Quincy House residents, Harvard Democrats and a group of students urging admitted minority applicants to come to Harvard have had access to the garden this spring with permission from the office of the dean of students.

But a bureaucratic snafu disrupted the Quincy House Committee's plan to use the lawn last Saturday afternoon.

Archie C. Epps III, dean of students, said yesterday it was his office's fault, because the Fly Club did not receive the requisite notice.

Reid A. Coccalis '78, a member of the committee, took the key to the garden Saturday, opened the gate, spread out his blanket, got out his sunglasses and settled down to read.

Someone from the Fly Club walked over to him and said the club did not know anyone was to use the property and asked Coccalis to lock the gate, adding that Coccalis could stay if he wished.

Coccalis said yesterday, he thought the committee had Epps's permission but was not sure because he had not talked to Epps himself.

He locked the gate but stayed to read for about half an hour, he said.

Quincy House will have a barbeque on Saturday and will use the garden, but Epps refuses to give the House permission to use the garden for more than two consecutive weeks.

"Things come up," Epps said, adding that even individual students can host parties in the garden and it should be free for more sporadic gatherings. Upcoming events include a wedding reception and a Weld North reunion, Epps said.