'55 Looks to Eliot In Preference Poll

Almost a quarter of the Freshman Class want to be Elephants next year a CRIMSON poll contacting 79 percent of the Yardlings revealed last night. Eliot, with 24.6 percent of the first place choices jumped 8.3 percent over last year's ratings to regain its top position after a lapse into the third spot.

The Bunnies once again fell into obsecurity after sticking their cars into sixth place in '54's poll. They received only 36 first place votes out of the 868 men polled, or 4.3 percent of the total.

An official source last night disclosed that the top House had a total of 250 applicants as of last Thursday the final day for filing rooming applications. According to the CRIMSON poll, on the basis of the 79 percent polled, there would have been 263 men applying. This gives the poll an accuracy of better than 93 percent. The Tally:  1952  1951 Eliot  24.6%  16.3% (3) Lowell  20.9%  18.1% (2) Winthrop  16.9%  23.0% (1) Dunster  15.9%  12.3% (5) Kirkland  10.4%  16.3% (3) Adams  6.7%  4.7% (7) Leverett  4.3%  4.9% (6) Claverly  .3%  -- Total number polled 868 4.4% did not show preference last year.

Three men indicated Claverly as their top choice. While one of them explained he likes solitude, the other two stated that they were on probation and did not want to run the risk of being split up.

Winthrop exchanged places with Eliot. The Puritans fell the most of all the Houses, percentage-wise, dropping 6.1 percent. Kirkland also dropped considerably, losing 5.9 percent in its rating, and falling from a tie for third into fifth place.

Adams gained considerably over last year to lift themselves out of the cellar, with 58 men indicating their preference for the Gold Coast.

The Bellboys maintained their runner up spot for the second successive year, although they dropped 2.8 percent from last year's poll.

Very few men in '55 were worried by the prospect of the draft. Only a handful stated that they expect to be called by the armed forces before enrolling next fall.

Those who listed Eliot as their top choice did so on the basis of its social reputation, along with its Master and tutors. One man stated "I am a born snob" as his reason. Another listed "Club aspirations."

Winthrop, as in the past, drew heavily on the athletic stereotype. One man said, "It's the home of mesomorphs and that settles it for me." Another stated its desirability is its location--"halfway between the Yard and the Fieldhouse."

Once again the gourmets flocked to Adams, while the friendly atmosphere of the Deacons and the Funsters drew their applicants.

The Bellboys drew strongly on their reputation for a good '54 class, as well as their intellectual atmosphere.

Three men indicated Claverly as their top choice. While one of them explained he likes solitude, the other two stated that they were on probation and did not want to run the risk of being split up.

Winthrop exchanged places with Eliot. The Puritans fell the most of all the Houses, percentage-wise, dropping 6.1 percent. Kirkland also dropped considerably, losing 5.9 percent in its rating, and falling from a tie for third into fifth place.

Adams gained considerably over last year to lift themselves out of the cellar, with 58 men indicating their preference for the Gold Coast.

The Bellboys maintained their runner up spot for the second successive year, although they dropped 2.8 percent from last year's poll.

Very few men in '55 were worried by the prospect of the draft. Only a handful stated that they expect to be called by the armed forces before enrolling next fall.

Those who listed Eliot as their top choice did so on the basis of its social reputation, along with its Master and tutors. One man stated "I am a born snob" as his reason. Another listed "Club aspirations."

Winthrop, as in the past, drew heavily on the athletic stereotype. One man said, "It's the home of mesomorphs and that settles it for me." Another stated its desirability is its location--"halfway between the Yard and the Fieldhouse."

Once again the gourmets flocked to Adams, while the friendly atmosphere of the Deacons and the Funsters drew their applicants.

The Bellboys drew strongly on their reputation for a good '54 class, as well as their intellectual atmosphere.