FOR THE FRESHMEN

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

Tuesday's request by half of the freshman class for extended hours in Lamont Library should receive the College's immediate approval. As a freshman proctor, and a one-time freshman, I can sympathize with the indignation of the members of the class of '56 who have attempted without success to make use of the most valuable study time at their disposal: evenings and Sundays.

The freshman dorms are crowded. In the late evening they are noisy. Thus for a student evicted from the library at 9:45 there is nothing to do but take his milk and donuts like a man, chat the rest of the night, and save his work for the weekend. But come the weekend he is still locked out. What is he to do?

The librarians' arguments against the freshmen's request, if correctly quoted, show a failure to understand the College's responsibility for providing usable study facilities to the first year class. From Mr. Metcalf's question, "Do 1,000 freshmen want to pay $30 apiece (for the additional library time)?" we can infer that each student around here pays only for the facilities at his disposal. At that rate freshman room rent, board rates, and tuition should be lowered and those of the upperclassmen raised. By the same logic, natural science students should pay more than those who do not use any laboratories.

And Mr. McNiff's assertion that "the students are in class only 12 hours a week and have the rest (of the 75 hours the library is open) to study here" ignores the basic freshman needs to eat, exercise, and engage in extracurricular activities. Perhaps if the hours at which the library is available were more wisely set, better use would be made of them.

Lamont need not be fully staffed during these extra hours. If need not even check out reserved books after the present deadline. Two doorguards and a janitor could probably run the place. Why not let them? Robert E. Herzstein '52 1L