"We each have our own job to do," is the attitude of Navy Communications officers stationed in the Yard toward widespread accusations of snobbishness displayed between the Navy men and Harvard undergraduates, according to Ensign LeRoy S. Merrifield of the College-barracked group.
Merrifield, a former graduate student at Littauer, explained that his colleagues considered the Harvard men "a good bunch of guys" and thought they should stay in college as long as they possibly could. "The idea that the civilian students are considered slackers by the men in uniform is absurd," the ensign stated. "Most of us had completed our college training, so we had loss to give up," he commented.
Merrifield a Mid-Westerner
Born and brought up in the Mid-West, Merrifield attended the University of Minuesota before coming to Harvard. It was he who first proposed the idea of forming a glee club from Communications men stationed here, an idea the merit of which will be tested when the singers make their debut in the Sanders Theatre concert with the Harvard Glee Club and Radcliffe Choral Society next Thursday.
Chief reason for the lack of social get togethers between the Navy men and the collegians is the infinitesimal amount of free time alotted the trainees. Then, too, most of the officers are married and want to spend all possible spare time with their wives.
"The Navy has a war to win," said Merrifield. "We'd like to know the Harvard boys better, but we just haven't the time."
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