The Hastings don't seem to be defensive about their House's reputation as one of Harvard's least popular undergraduate residences. With barely a moment's hesitation, they cite last years Crimson House survey in which, much to everyone's surprise, North House placed fourth, and first among the Quad Houses. But despite this positive outlook, the J. Woodland and Hannah Hastings are far from complacent: they eagerly ask about other masters and how they have or have not broken the student-faculty barrier. And they are overflowing with their own plans to better North House.

Some of these plans are far-reaching. For instance, they envision a new wing to North House, connecting Moors and Holmes Halls that would increase the number of residents by 80. The new wing would also connect the three now separate buildings on the ground level.

But others are simply ideas to make the House a more worthwhile place to be, and at the same time to encourage relations between House residents and those faculty members connected with it. Those plans derive mostly from the Hastings's own interests, as if they want to share their favorite activities with their new flock. The family loves skiing for example, but has done less and less as the Hastings's four children have grown and moved away from home. The answer: plan House ski trips on the weekends during the winter. They would also like to hike with House members on Sundays or go to Woods Hole where they spend their summers. And another family interest, music will find its place in the House with a concert this fall by a Hungarian violinist.

Social events such as concerts are a good way of continuing educational development in a social context, "Woody" Hastings believes. He thinks the role of the master in the House is one of leadership, particularly to set the tone and see that the resources of the House are fully used. He sees a mastership as a major time commitment and a sacrifice at the professorial level. But he explains that he and his wife "enjoy the notion of participating with students, and are curious about it since we're not Harvard people ourselves."

Tutors, also, have an important role in setting the tone of the House, Hastings says, and he adds that he is grateful there is a student committee for identifying tutors and participating in the selection process. He and his wife also say they appreciate the system of co-mastership, explaining that they "don't expect to be at each other's throats, and if we disagree something better usually comes out of it."

Since North House sits back on Linnaean St., the House shares a backyard with professors on "Faculty Row," a line of eight modern houses facing the street. Hastings, a professor of Biology, says those houses make up a "community of faculty interaction with the House" that has been underused up to now. He adds that he and the residents, who have wanted to participate in House activities, have started an informal group to plan activities. Their first function will be a tour of Boston for incoming freshmen, followed by a boat ride in the harbor at dusk.

Hasting's work as a marine biologist has taken him and his wife, who works at the Educational Development Center in Cambridge, throughout the world. Although Hastings does not do much of the actual deep diving for his work, he loves sailing enough that "anywhere I go I try to wangle a sailboat." There is evidence of that in his Linnaean St. home, where he cooks waffles on Sunday morning and sits on brightly colored cushions on the living room floor. Standing next to the pile of cushions is a paddle he bought for about 20 cents from an Indonesian. He and his family were living in a small camp at the time, and a ferry was necessary to reach town. The ferry happened to be a dugout canoe with an outrigger sail, and Hastings joyously spent the day sailing it back and forth, collecting fees for the ferryman. He brought the oar home with him as a momento.

The Hastings's are noticeably willing to open their home lives to their students. Even in saying she loves movies and wants to take advantage of Cambridge's offerings, Hannah Hastings adds that she intends to ask students who share her penchant to go along with her. Her favorite movies are French ones, no doubt one reason the year spent in France with her family was what she calls "the greatest year of our lives."

Hastings came to Harvard in 1966--before that he had taught at numerous schools throughout the country, including Northwestern and the University of Illinois. His specialty is biological clocks and luminescence, and he has a laboratory at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole for the study of marine organisms.

But Hastings seems prepared to leave his professorial attitude at the lab; walking through North House, he points here, where new lights would brighten the place, there, where picnic tables would make a small plot of grass into a great barbecue area. He and his wife are anxious to become a part of Harvard, and given their overflowing enthusiasm, they just might be able to make North House a really great place to live.

Quincy House

Charles and Elaine Dunn

In the penthouse Masters' residence at Quincy House, Baby and Child Care is prominently displayed on the den coffee table, and the room shown first to visitors is the recently decorated nursery. For Charles and Elaine Dunn, September means the expected arrival of a new baby as well as the inevitable arrival of 400 students.

While the new addition may cramp Elaine's style temporarily (she is taking a six-month leave from her full-time teaching position in early childhood education at Simmons College), the Dunns do not plan any reduction in House involvement. Quincy House's year will start, according to an 11-year tradition started by Dunn, on September 26 with the Scottish exorcism of bad spirits--or at least their intimidation by bagpipes.

Charles Dunn's occupation and predilections all seem to lead back to Scotland--his birthplace, annual vacation spot, and intellectual Mecca. He is Margaret Brooks Robinson Professor of Celtic Languages and Literature, and since 1963 has been chairman of that department. He became master of Quincy House in 1966.