Finally, Harvey asked that the societies show only those films not available to commercial theatres.

19 at Once !

That April, Harvey wrote another letter to Watson. This time, he complained that 19 films were screened at Harvard Houses over one weekend. Harvey warned that "if present University policy continued," he would "be forced to take action."

Harvey wrote the letters after a series of telephone conversations with Watson. "I told him my hands were tied and he'd better write a pretty strong letter on this thing," Watson said Saturday. "Obviously, if it is a strong letter, everyone involved will pay more attention than if it's not a strong letter."

Watson described his conversations with Harvey as "very friendly," saying, "Harvey has been extremely generous and understanding. I think he's extremely broadminded." Harvey described Watson as being "very sympathetic."

Due to Circumstances...

Watson distributed copies of the two letters to members of the Faculty Committee on Student Activities and the Committee on Houses. During the University Hall sit-in and the strike, however, the matter was forgotten.

After the summer, in the fall of 1969, Zeph Stewart, Master of Lowell House, discussed the situation with Harvey over the telephone. "I thought he was being a bit rigid in his feelings," Stewart said, "and the talk was unsatisfactory."

By that time, the Committee on Houses and the Faculty Committee on Student Activities were being phased out. The new Committee on Houses and Undergraduate Life took up the controversy during its early meetings. A subcommittee began consideration of the issue but was interrupted by the Cambodia strike.

Last October, the subcommittee drew up two resolutions, which were approved by the CHUL in November. They met two of Harvey's demands: that film society advertising be limited to the Harvard community, and that the societies work closely with House committees.

The Regulations for Undergraduate Organizations in Harvard College say that "bona-fide film study groups" organized "on a membership-fee basis" are authorized to show "motion pictures of historical, technical or artistic significance, where such films are not currently in circulation in commercial theatres."

Virtually all film societies at Harvard violate these regulations. In a telephone interview, Watson said he viewed them as "guidelines rather than rules." Noting that "you've got to be understanding," Watson said, "You can't just say 'You do this or else.' You've got to convince people that it's fair."

Watson's successor, Dean Epps, said he does not plan to change this policy. "We have no machinery to see what's being shown in the different Houses," Epps said. He added that the CHUL resolutions would also be considered guidelines rather than rules.

Watch It !

Laughing, Epps cautioned, "That's not true of all the regulations in the book."

Epps did not consider the film question during his first term as Dean of Students. Harvey said he has not complained to the Harvard administration this year because "things have gotten a lot better."

Societies no longer paste posters in the Square, and no giant moneymakers -like Jean-Luc Godard's Sympathy for the Devil shown by the Lowel Film Society last year-were screened during the past term. Because Harvey had not complained this year, news of the agreement surprised most people.