"There is a certain camaraderie that comes from any arbitrary grouping of people," he said. "It's a good group of people," another staff member said.

Different combinations of the desires for involvement, for work with people, and for group friendship characterize the motivating forces of the Room 13 staff.

One staffer said she had no close friends during her freshman year. One day in the spring she and a girl down the hall walked over to Room 13 on the spur of the moment, to see "what went on down there."

Despite the problems that the staff has attracting enough callers to deep them busy, the atmosphere in Stoughton basement appears remarkably warm and easy. The on-duty staffers sit on old furniture placed around a fading brown carpet in the center of the room. When one sits down there with them, talk always seems to flow easily. The real difference between conversations in Stoughton basement and the conversations that probably go on one floor up is the noise level. Voices at Room 13 seem to always be subdued: no loud interjections, but then again no whispers. It is something one picks up from the staffers as soon as one enters the room. They counsel one to make rational, calm decisions; they speak in rational, calm tones.

One could almost say that there, hidden in the basement, away from any outside light, the world becomes reasonable. Inconsistencies vanish; the willingness to solve any problem logically renders all problems solvable. This is a very comforting atmosphere. It seems unfortunate that this room is used more to answer telephone queries about Harvard events than for the help and companionship it is able to offer.

Room 13 cannot define its purpose beyond that of a service ready to discuss anything at any time with anyone, because if it narrows its mission any further, it may havenot purpose left at all.