Sphinx, New Final Club, Is Approved by Council

The Sphinx Club was last night approved by the Council as the eleventh final club at Harvard.

Its charter now goes to the Dean's Office for final approval.

In giving the Sphinx Club the okay, the Council reversed its original stand of last Thursday, when it voted to table the club's charter until such time as a full report had been made to the Council on the state of the club system at the College.

Heated Talk

The debate on the subject was sharp. James H. Heller '49 repeated his statements of the previous meeting on the subject by stating that he was against any extension of the "dictatorship of snobbery," and drew from Edward M. Parker '49, Sergeant-at-Arms of the new club, a strong denial that the club was based on snobbery.

He cited the Constitution of the new Club which says the group is "open to mutually desirable and compatible persons with no consideration other than the intrinsic value of the individuals themselves."

Final Club?

In response to the questions as to why the group wishes to become a final club, Parker said, "The reason we wish to become a final club is because we want to keep the men together--and all final clubs are mutually exclusive."

The Council debated for over half an hour on whether it had the right to reject the charter of a proposed organization because it might show Council approval of the club system, or because it might be setting a precedent for the formation of a whole new rush of final clubs.

Change of View

Thursday it had decided it could at least postpone chartering pending a report on the system; last night opinion had changed a trifle and the Council passed the charter.

The change followed a long report by Frederic D. Houghteling '50, who urged splitting the two questions of the Sphinx Club and the club system as a whole.

The new Club, which was first suggested on April 19, has 39 members, in addition to its charter, and a "favorable bank balance." The club has yet to fix a location definitely, but it plans to rent a clubhouse, at least until it is established.

The Tie

The Sphinx Club which has mostly sophomore and junior members, will definitely adopt a blue tie with a gold sphinx.

The officers are: President, John D. Hopkins '48: vice-president, Richard C. Pierce '50: Secretary, Charles P. Dribben '51: Treasurer, George D. Jackson '51: and Sergeant-at-Arms. Edward M. Parker '49.

The Council also gave its approval to a fund drive for a Theater Arts Center which might eventually grow into a Student Activities Center. The Center project, with the Council aegis over it, has a chance of picking up a big donation this week.

Rindge Out

With the School Board ruling that the Rindge Tech theater could not be used for more than three performances and College groups forced to fall back on Sanders, angels may be persuaded to come through and back the new College theater center.

According to J. David Baumann '51, who is running the collection for the Center, it should collect enough money to carry the rest of SAC on its shoulders, and be incorporated in the same building.

The Council also postponed final settlement of the Red Book-Album problem to next Thursday.

Adams, after two and a half years of agitation has finally got the wherewithal to have washing machines in its basement. The Council last night loaned the Adams House Committee $600 to procure the machines for next fall