The constant change of House character, MasterKiely said, was both "delightful and amusing.What's kept us here and been so educational andimportant is the ways in which various eras ofAdams House have defined themselves as acommunity."

Master Kiely said he takes special pride inAdamsians' past leadership in taking theater atHarvard "off-Loeb and off-Agassiz" and in beingthe first House with a gay and lesbian supportgroup before homosexuality could be openlydiscussed. At the time, Kiely said, some Masterscalled homosexuality "an Adams House problem."

Other students praised the Kielys'approachability.

"They brought a spirit, a type of energy to theHouse that will be sorely missed," said Taj J.Clayton '99. "They are the most popular Housemasters and they make a concerted effort to meetall students and to be visible and vocal onstudent issues and to be extremely accessible."

More recently the Kielys have supported acontroversial movement by Adams residents to limitinterhouse dining at Adams. In a letter thatappeared in The Crimson on Nov. 19, Robert Kielywrote, "I am in total agreement with the AdamsHouse students who feel that our dining hall isbeing used as a better, more beautiful LokerCommons [by non-Adams residents]."

The Kielys are not leaving Harvard altogether,however. Robert Kiely will continue to teach inthe English department and both Kielys willmaintain their connections to Harvard and AdamsHouse.

The Kielys join the Bosserts and the Dowlings,both long-time Masters who left Lowell andLeverett Houses last year.

Adams residents will now begin another"time-honored" Harvard tradition: selecting newHouse masters, said Senior Tutor David B. Fithian,who joined the House this year. Although thestructure of the Adams House search has yet to bedetermined, Fithian said, "in the past, the seniortutor has coordinated a committee of variousrepresentatives of the House who meet withcandidates."

For their part, Lewis and Thomas A. Dingman'67, associate dean of the College for the Housesystem, will solicit student input.

When asked if he felt his successor will havethe same views on randomization, Robert Kielyreplied, "I certainly hope so.