Blizzard Shuts Some Doors

Students who waited until Sunday to purchase books they needed to read for class this week were faced with a locked door yesterday when the Harvard Coop remained closed because of a blizzard even as some student organizations soldiered on through the storm.

Justin Rossi ’09, who had planned to buy books for his brother, saw that the lights were off inside the Coop’s building.

There was no explanation on the door, which still listed the store’s usual hours. “It was kind of a pain,” he said.

Other Cambridge stores, including Tommy’s House of Pizza, stayed closed all day, but many others opened as usual. BoLoCo shut its doors at 4 p.m.

Stores were not the only institutions that had to adjust to the weather. While some club meetings and planned events were canceled because of the storm, several prominent events, including common casting callbacks for Harvard’s spring term theatrical productions and an evening Mozart concert performed by the University Choir, occurred as scheduled, although the choir concert sent out e-mails announcing that last night’s performance would be free.

The choir decided not to charge for the production to encourage more students to come despite the storm, said Polly W. Klyce ’06, a member of the University Choir.

Students were also affected by cancellations of church masses and the early 2 p.m. closing of Harvard Law School’s Hemenway Gym.

Members of Harvard University Dining Services braved the snow to show up at work. Blondell Newbon, a member of the Adams House Dining Hall staff, described her trek to work by bus and the T.

“It was kind of hard because I had to wait for the bus in the cold with the wind blowing, and now I have to get back the same way,” Newbon said.

Mike L. Charles, who works at Quincy Dining Hall, was also worried about his return trip.

“I took the train to get here so it isn’t too bad, but I’m worried about getting back home if it keeps snowing,” he said.

Most students had less distance to travel, but for some the snow was particularly inconvenient.

“I messed up my shoes coming back from the formal,” said Michael Beal ’06, who attended the Black Students Association formal Saturday night.

Students in the Quad faced a more complicated journey to and from campus, with shuttles running less frequently than usual.

Karen M. Piane ’08, a student dispatcher from Harvard University Shuttle Services said that the shuttles would continue to operate although at a slower rate.

“Everything is still running but the shuttles won’t stop at exactly the same time as what is on the schedule, since their first priority is safety,” she said.

The cities of Cambridge and Boston declared a state of emergency yesterday.

While Harvard students will attend class as usual today, the Boston and Cambridge public schools will be closed due to the weather.

“I think TFs should be lenient because of the blizzard,” Crystal E. Winston ’06 said.

Although yesterday’s storm was severe in comparison to this winter’s weather, it was not as intense as the blizzard of Jan. 2005, which left some places in Mass. with over three feet of snow and forced students to endure 80 m.p.h. winds, according to the Boston Globe.

—Staff writer Lois E. Beckett can be reached at lbeckett@fas.harvard.edu. —Staff writer Doris A. Hernandez can be reached at dahernan@fas.harvard.edu.