The part which the students not living in the Houses, loosely grouped under the name "commuters," are to play in the House life is a problem which must be solved soon. For most of this group is now being cared for by Phillips Brooks House, and Brooks House regards this as only a temporary solution of the problem. The work involved in organizing a restaurant, athletic teams, and in providing library and other facilities, has cut heavily into the time of the Graduate Secretary, E. S. Amazeen '31. He feels, also, that while the commuters are grateful for what has been done, what they wish is not segregation as a group, but the fullest possible participation in the college life. He therefore views the present organization as a temporary solution, and sees no reason why Brooks House should handle what is first of all a University problem.
Any appeal that the commuters should be allowed a fuller participation in college life is liable to be met by a fervent rendering of the words "House unity" or "House corporate personality," or "House spirit." The question is a confused one; particularly in the early years of the House Plan, it is necessary to set down a few general notions. The following are offered:
Pay for Privileges
First: No student in Harvard should enjoy privileges, such as participation in House life, for which he does not pay. (The question of scholarships is not to the point here.) Such a situation would be unfair, unworkable, and quite undesirable.
Second: But, once a man is admitted as a student of Harvard College, there are strong arguments in favor of his being allowed to participate as completely in the college life as his purse permits. A contrary policy works against the good of the University. To admit a group only to the intellectual life of the University, to segregate it, make it eat, play, and talk together, to deprive it of all the benefits which more varied contacts would give, is simply to develop in Harvard a group which is not wholly of Harvard. Nothing is thereby gained, either for the group or for the University. The business and legal worlds are notoriously full of men who take pains to proclaim themselves Harvard men, without showing evidences of the broad training which a Harvard education should give. This does not add to the good name of the University.
Third: If, therefore, cries of "House unity" are to stand in the way of fuller participation in college life by this group of students, the term deserves close scrutiny. This is a debatable topic. But it is safe to say, regarding "unity," that few, if any, men know all the members of their House. On entering the House library, or dining hall, they do not feel the sense of unity which a small summer camp or small preparatory school affords. Such unity as they will feel will come from their participation in House discussion groups, contact in the dining hall, common room, participation in athletics, etc.; such feeling of unity as is worth while will arise inevitably. Artificial sense of unity, artificial House "spirit" will have only the vitality of other artificial things. In short, the committee feels, such genuine feeling of genuine unity will be a hardy plant; and it is to be doubted that it will be jeopardized by the proper participation of non-resident students in House life.
Participation In House Life
In what ways may non-residents participate in House life, and what would be considered proper participation."
In the first place, it should be noted that non-residents do at present have a small share in House life. Some of them have tutorial conferences in Houses. The tutors occasionally extend to the tutees the privileges of the House library. Some also eat in the Houses as the guests of friends. Many of the House entertainments and discussion groups are open to outsiders. A number of men who moved out of Houses for financial reasons have been extended library and dining hall privileges. And in considering "commuters," of course, it must be remembered that this term has been used to include groups of men living on or near Mr. Auburn Street and eating in clubs. This number must include many who have not stayed out of the Houses because of inability to pay for House residence, but because of inability to combine House expenses with extensive use of clubs, automobiles, entertainments, etc. What their relation to the Houses is to be is a further problem.
Non-residents can join House life in three ways, other than those just mentioned: in the dining halls, in athletics, and in the libraries.
Dining halls. There are roughly 500 upperclassmen commuters. Divided among the Houses, they would be roughly 70 per unit. But some of this number eat at home, some in clubs, and it is doubtful that, given dining hall privileges, many would make use of them. In 1931-32, 204 Freshman commuters were offered the privileges of the Union. Only 43 used it, and fewer still ate there; those who ate there averaged only 4 meals for a two month period, November-December.
Probably no more than 20 or 30 at most would make use of each House dining hall. To do so is considerably more expensive, since a House lunch costs $.50, and that provided at Phillips Brooks House $.18. But even if the number to respond were small, the extension of a blanket eating privilege to non-residents would seem unwise. The establishment of regular, narrow, eating cliques in the Houses is to be avoided, as contrary to the purposes of the plan. Were the nonresidents suddenly given eating privileges, the result might be the introduction of an unassimilated clique into the dining hall, abetting the growth of further narrow groups.
It is therefore recommended that nonresidents not be given any such privilege. What is to be hoped is that tutors will more often eat with non-residents, if, as suggested below, given the use of the House libraries and incorporated into House athletic teams, will come to know more members, who will invite them to meals as paying "guests." In this way the non-resident will have a much broader undergraduate life; and his presence in the dining hall as a guest would prevent his being considered a foreign element, detrimental to any House unity, imaginary or real.
Athletics. As regards athletics, a Phillips Brooks House survey (Alumni Bulletin, October 21, 1932) has shown that as large a percentage of commuters are engaged in athletics as of House members. But the Brooks House athletics feel that, in being segregated, they are being denied the opportunity to make further acquaintances and friendships. In addition it is argued, the creation of the eighth team has necessitated paying one more coach; and the commuters are now paying as much for athletics as they would be were they incorporated in House teams. To allow them to join such teams would unquestionably increase their participation in undergraduate life. Some Houses, also, have difficulty in raising teams for various sports; with added numbers available this could be done more easily. Friendships formed in athletics would result, as suggested above, in invitations from House residents to eat as paying "guests"; the non-residents would thus be assimilated, to that extent, in the House life.
The Council therefore recommends that the eighth Brooks House team be abolished, and the non-residents assigned, on some appropriate system, to the various House teams.
Libraries, Should the commuters be assigned to the various House libraries? It seems plain, first of all, that it would not be fair to give them free use of the libraries. For their operation is made possible only by students who pay for rather expensive rooms. It would be necessary to charge an annual fee for this privilege. Phillips Brooks House officials predict that the number of commuters who would take advantage of this privilege would not be large. This number would be assigned among the seven Houses. It seems unlikely that the presence of these outside students in the libraries from time to time would detract from the House life. And at the same time it seems unfortunate that the House library facilities should not be used to the fullest extent. The committee therefore recommends that the non-residents be offered this paid privilege.
Read more in News
The Crimson Bookshelf
