When Dunn talks about being a House master, frequent reference is made to the "student revolution years," and clearly the confrontation with the students (as well as family problems at that time,) which marked those years are still present in Dunn's mind, mostly in contrast to the calm which reigns now. Although the context has changed, however, Dunn's conception of the role of House master has not.

"I have never had any grand illusions about the power of a master," Dunn says. "The master is a catalyst rather than a dictator or ringmaster. During the revolution, it was my duty to keep student discussion as open as possible regardless of whether I agreed." He mentions that many colleagues who did not live with students turned against them out of misunderstanding, and also turned against those who, like himself, supported them.

The master as "catalyst" is still Dunn's way. He believes a master's most important function is to support ideas and cue students on how to get things done around Harvard. He takes the same low-key attitude towards tutors, encouraging them to "find an outlet in the House," but not setting specific expectations for involvement.

"I don't do what some masters do--giving out a worksheet for tutors. I don't think it works and it's not my style. Tutors work better out of loyalty than duty." He calls himself "ruefully honest" in recognizing that tutors often get caught up in their own work to the detriment of House participation. He does not seem to feel especially responsible for requiring more activity from them.

Elaine Dunn joined Quincy House as associate master when the Dunns were married two years ago. Her title requires some involvement in House functions but does not include administrative duties or attendance and voting at University committee meetings.

Because she was joining a mastership in progress, Elaine Dunn did not have to confront all the tasks of a new master simultaneously, or to start cold making head in the House.

"My entrance was much different from anyone else's. Charles told me to do what I like best--I had the luxury of choosing for myself."

As a focus, Dunn chose to work with women in the House, and last year she held several gatherings for Quincy House women tutors and students that she plans to continue this year.

Although she believes masters' wives ought to hold a title, Dunn says she had "strong misgivings" about the practice of naming co-masters, because she believes in some cases "both were given titles but both weren't really hired."

Charles Dunn regards the naming of co-masters as "an excellent improvement which points the way for women who are wives of businessmen, for instance, to be regarded as part of the business."

Both co-masters seem comfortable with the degree of student-master contact in the House, although Dunn says he wishes he knew how to improve it. "I used to have a sign-up sheet saying I was free to go to lunch with students and no one ever came. You can always find me pouring sherry Thursday afternoons."

Dunn says he does not "feel guilty" about lack of contact with students as he thinks some masters do. He attributes this guilt complex to the "open-endedness" of the job, which gives masters no guidelines on how to approach their positions. It is necessary, both Dunns stress, to set a limit to time spent on House matters and not to take the job with a "terrible sense of requirement."

Dunn sees no Quincy House image beyond "diversity": "The search for images is fruitless," he maintains. He is especially concerned about getting as international a population as possible, and for that reason he regrets the passing of master's choice when masters could choose rising freshmen for their Houses.

Dunn says the worst part of being a master is "the tedium of meetings one must attend. I tend to be very simplistic in my view of how to do things. Most decisions are historically pre-ordained--like co-residence. It seemed silly to have a committee for that--there was no choice in the matter."

While Dunn may find those sessions tedious, he stresses the importance of CHUL in improving master-student relations. Instead of masters imposing decisions on resentful students, he says, student participation in meetings has made "students recognize the inevitability of many decisions."