Council Tells Memorial Committee That SAC Is Best Possible Solution

Proposed Center Would Combine Theater With Other Facilities for Use of Groups

NO WRITER ATTRIBUTED July 8, 1947

Last year, the Council made similar recommendation, emphasizing that "the learning process should be extended beyond the classroom and the library, into the field of creative activity."

This year's report went on to add that "it is felt that a student activities center would provide both the much-needed physical facilities, and an official encouragement--now lacking to some extent--to the formation and development of extra-curricular organizations."

Endorsement of the activities center was based on three main phases of the Council study:

1. A poll of students, to determine their views on the appropriateness of six dif- ferent proposals for a war memorial.

2. A poll of student organizations, to determine the actual need for a center.

3. A poll of the House committees, to reemphasize this need.

In all cases, sentiment was overwhelmingly in favor of the proposed activities center.

Overwhelming Support

Of the 2,500 students polled, 58 percent of whom were veterans, only 1.8 percent wanted a non-utilitarian memorial. Fifty and four tenths percent of the students favored a sudent activities center, as against 17.4 percent for the next alternative.

Forty-three organizations were polled, with 38 responses. Thirty-seven endorsed a student activities center as a memorial, while 33 indicated need for facilities to a varying degree.

The House committees of all seven Houses endorsed the center as a memorial, six of them unanimously. They felt the proposed center would "help the Houses immeasurably by relieving them of the need to provide meeting space for college organizations, thereby allowing the common rooms to be used entirely for House functions."

In addition to the center, the ballots given to students listed proposals for scholarships (receiving a 17.4 percent vote), hockey rink and auditorium (16.9 percent), music center (3.3 percent), new infirmary (2 percent), music center (3.3 percent), new infirmary (2 percent), monument statue, plaque, etc. (1.8 percent), as well as space for write-in suggestions, which provided the remainder of the votes