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Announcement was made last night from University Hall, that the building at present occupied by the Lampoon at the intersection of Mt. Auburn, Bow, and Plympton Streets, would be taken over by the University to serve as a dining hall of the "Gold Coast House" in the development of the House plan. This most recent and wholly unexpected move by the college authorities was made, according to statements issued by officials last night, as a direct result of the House plan number of the Lampoon, which went on sale yesterday evening.
"Unwarrantedly impudent"
Criticism characterized as "unwarrantedly impudent", "more of the sensationalism that caused the Princeton break", and, "of extremely poor taste," has brought about the foreclosing of the heavy mortgage which the editors of the oldest college comic sheet have carried for years and which nearly caused the bankruptcy of the paper in 1926. In that crisis, the publication was saved from failure only by the contributions of generous alumni.
Just recently the University appropriated a fraction of Mr. Harkness' gift of over $11,000,000 to buy up the mortgage on the Lampoon from Isaac Coolidge Ginsberg, of the North Cambridge Holdings Company. So badly has the Lampoon fallen in recent years, that the sandwich man hired yesterday by the Lampoon to advertise the Crimson competitions was advised by his lawyer to attach the Lampoon's Dutch tiles for his payment. The sandwich man's title to the tiles is being disputed by the Bursar's Office which plans to put the tiles on sale as companion pieces for the Harvard plates.
When questioned last night, the president of the Lampoon said that he was extremely surprised to hear that Mr. Ginsberg had sold the mortgage to the College, but declared that "if his college wanted the Lampoon Building, it was not for him or his aides to stand in the way of the development of the House plan." His business manager stated that the Lampoon unfortunately, was in no position to prevent foreclosure of the mortgage. Old Lampoon editors, the quondam rivals of the editors of the CRIMSON, and prominent Harvard Alumni, were unanimous in deploring the move made to throttle the Lampoon. "What does it matter if the Lampoon isn't funny", stated a former editor of the periodical, now with Life, "Fun's fun, and nobody will take it seriously."
It is understood that yesterday's developments were brought to their culmination only by the action of the Lampoon itself. The attitude of the University towards the Lampoon, it was learned, was one of indifferent quiescence as long as the Lampoon held to innocuous humor, but when the straw that broke the camel's back, in the form of Lampy's most recent indiscretions entered the situation, the college authorities reached the conclusion that, foreclosure of the mortgage was the only action compatible with Harvard dignity.
The Lampoon building is admirably adapted for an eating hall, for it contains an excellently appointed large room, with culinary equipment in Arthur's restaurant in the basement. The president's office, it is understood, will be used as a cloakroom for the inhabitants of the "Gold Coast House". According to present plans, the University will incorporate Claverly, Randolph, and possibly Russell, into one House. What disposition will be made of Benjamin Hyte's tailoring shop has not yet been announced. Bob Lampoon, for so many years the power-behind-the-throne and genuis of all Lampoon wit will be accepted tentatively as janitor of the new eating plant. His continuance in this position is conditional on good behavior.
Last night, as another development of the situation, six editors of the Lampoon reported at the CRIMSON Building when the University daily opened its competition to Sophomores and Freshmen
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