DeWolfe Ain't So Great

To the Editors of The Crimson:

As a resident of the DeWolfe Street housing complex, I enjoyed your recent article on my dorm. It was, however, either by design or by carelessness, the most one-sided article I've seen in a long time. While the new building has certain advantages, it also has many disadvantages which merit attention.

Although it's nice to have air conditioning, that's only useful for a few weeks in September and May. The money would have been much better spent on overhead lights--a year-round necessity--which are missing in the bedrooms and the common room.

Another major shortcoming is the lack of space used for a full kitchen. Sure, it's convenient, but it can't be fully enjoyed due to Harvard's mane policy requiring all undergraduates to be on the full meal plan. I would much rather the kitchen space were used for another bedroom, so we wouldn't have to live in doubles all year.

There are other minor inconveniences, such as the lack of bookshelf space and undraped windows, but these don't compare to the major problem with DeWolfe Street and any other overflow housing, which is that they detract from what Harvard so proudly boasts as one of its most positive aspects: the House experience. By living apart from the rest of our house, we miss out on the social experience our peers enjoy. All in all, I am very disappointed to be living DeWolfe. Ezra Perlman '93