Red Book May Be Dropped; Activities Boom Is Planned

College extra-curricular activities are in line for a boost from the Council next fall.

Edward F. Burke '50, chairman of the Extra-curricular Activities Committee, announced yesterday that sub-groups will open a four-front drive next fall to build up and increase participation in undergraduate organizations.

A monthly or semi-monthly activities bulletin is now under Council consideration, according to a report released yesterday. Twenty-nine groups have indicated approval of the plan, which would call for a sheet of information and announcements, printed by photo-offset, and paid for by contributing organizations.

December Deadline

First issue would probably work its way under College doorjambs by next December, Burke predicted. As the plan stands now, each undergraduate group, political or otherwise, will receive an equal amount of space, with extra inches obtainable on a space rate.

Meanwhile, the pocketbooks of all student groups will, with their permission, be scrutinized by another Council committee. Among other things, the group will study the possibilities of University aid to financially worried organizations such as the Band and the Debate Council.

Other suggested solutions to monetary problems are the setting up of an activities trust fund; the addition of a College activities fee as part of the annual Service Fund; and an analysis of University policy on charges for the use of Sanders Theater.

Mediation Board

Burke's financial group is also toying with the idea of setting up some sort of mediation board to act when a group has a dispute such as the Band had with the University this term.

Lack of participation in College activities and a "general lack of school spirit" will be the subject of an extensive report that a third sub-committee has scheduled for next fall.

This group hopes to augment the large battery of undergraduate groups with new social-recreational-cultural organizations on the House or College-wide level. Meanwhile, a preliminary investigation has shown that men do not take part in the host of activities for four reasons:

1) There is not enough time.

2) Boston social life and recreation draw too heavily on spare time.

3) "The formality and near-professionalism of our most interesting organizations" discourage many from going into the "vigorous competition" necessary for entrance.

4) There is no social compulsion to join a group.

Poster Warfare

Burke is worried about one other problem on the activities scene. Large organizations often inadvertently schedule meetings for the same night, and competing political interests of various groups have often resulted in torn or disappearing posters.

Instituting a Council Activities Coordinator to solve such conflicts may be one solution, Burke says. In addition, he is looking ahead to the time when the Council can set up a political union of various clubs, which could "adjudicate these disputes."

Burke hopes to get an Activities Coordinator installed early next fall, so that the pre-election months will not see too much fist-fighting and epithet-slinging in the neighborhood of the Yard.