Santa Claus has come to Currier House several weeks early--bearing the gift of cable TV.

Since the service was installed late last week in four of the house's common areas, Currier residents have found themselves glued to the television sets.

"I am very pleased with it. I think the wider variety of program availability fosters a better environment in the house," Renee A. Richardson '96 said.

"I think there's an increased number of people sitting and eating dinner together in front of the TV, and they mix," she said.

Enthusiastic Currier residents can now view MTV, CNN, and a variety of other basic channels, although extra channels such as HBO are not available.

"I think it's a great idea," Matthew G. McKay '94 said.

"It's something the other houses don't have," Edward E. Sorola '94 said.

While students and tutors in the house praised Co-master Barbara S. Graham for bringing music videos and around-the-clock news to Currier, Graham said, "We simply tried to respond to what students indicated."

Currier residents have pushed for cable over the past three years, "as a result of having poor [television] reception and because there was a paucity of current events coverage," Graham said.

But many say the service may prove to be a curse in disguise for easily-distracted students.

"Unfortunately, I think it's going to affect some people's study habits," Mark D. Cote '95 said.

"It's going to be a big distraction to work," McKay said.

Graham declined to comment on the cost of the new service.

Despite the house's new feature, students said they doubt that cable TV will make Currier more popular in the first-year housing lottery this spring.

"I don't think that people are going to put down Currier just because they want to watch cable," McKay said.