F. Skiddy von Stade, present Dean of Freshmen, has been appointed Acting Master of Kirkland House for the Fall Term next year. Charles H. Taylor, the present Master, will be away on a half-year sabbatical.

Dean von Stade, who will continue in his present capacity in addition to his new duties, has been Acting Master at Kirkland once before in his career, in 1951-52.

Von Stade has been at Harvard since 1940. Until 1942, he was assistant dean of Freshmen. After serving in the Army for four years, he returned to the University in January, 1946, when he was placed in charge of Harvard's scholarship program.

After his stint as Acting Master in 1951, he was appointed Dean of Freshmen in 1952, the post he has held up to the present.

Dean von Stade, who hopes to live in Kirkland House next year, said, "I had a wonderful time doing it in 1951, and I hope I will again. He said he felt the temporary 1951 appointment had given him "a valuable opportunity to meet the segment of the faculty associated with Kirkland House."

May Declines Post

Earnest R. May, associate professor of History and Allston Burr Senior Tutor of Kirkland House, was originally slated to fill in for Master Taylor. But May was unable to accept the post "for family reasons." May will, however, continue as Senior Tutor.

Taylor plans to travel to England, France, and Greece during his half-year leave of absence. "It's not primarily for research," Taylor said. "I expect to enjoy every minute of it."