The secrecy surrounding the tenure case of F. John Adams '67, senior lecturer of Music, and the resignation of Virginia L. Mackay-Smith '78, tour manager for the Radcliffe Choral Society, was intended to avoid unnecessary panic, the choral society president said yesterday.

The decision to keep develpments secret was made by the search committee, to avoid a premature controversy over its tenure recommendation; which is not considered final, Anna M. Storniolo '77 said.

Mackay-Smith resigned last month in a letter to the management of the choral society protesting "impossible working conditions" caused by the search committee's delay in announcing its recommendation.

The search committee is evaluating Adams, Tamara Brooks, professor of Music at Haverford, and Robert Povco, professor of Music at the University of North Carolina for the tenured position of choral director and Music lecturer.

"We thought the decision would be announced soon," Cynthia A. Young '78, manager of the choral society said yesterday, in explanation of the choral society management's acquiescence in the secrecy. "We wanted to tell the choral members. If the decision had been favorable, we would have, but since the decision had been delayed so long we felt it had to come out," she said.

Leadership

Young also said the Holden committee, a permanent group consisting of the president and manager from the choral society, the Glee Club and the Collegium Musicum, is now proposing to the search committee that the posts of choral director and music lecturer be separated.

The Holden committee has endorsed Adams for the position of choral director.

"We don't want the idea of the separation to be considered a last ditch effort to save John," Young said, adding 'We thought it would make more sense for whoever gets the job."