Radcliffe Council Approves Trial of 11 p.m. Signout Rule

The Radcliffe Student Council yesterday voted in an 11 p.m. sign-out rule for a trial period until Thanksgiving, reversing last week's decision. Final decision will rest with the Administration, which will consider the matter "as soon as possible," Miss Emily B. Lucey, Dean of Residence, said yesterday.

If passed, the new rule will enable girls to leave dormitories until 11 p.m., although the dorms will close to callers as usual at 10 p.m.

A petition asking the Council to reconsider the motion for a trial period was presented by Janet Titus '55, treasurer, and Mary MacGregor '55, secretary. A total of 232 girls signed the petition, circulated only in the brick dormitories.

Opinions Said Ignored

A Radcliffe News editorial charged that dormitory representatives in the Council were ignoring their constituencies opinions by voting against the 11 p.m. signout. Miss Titus said that the petition was circulated so that Council could "more accurately reflect student opinion."

The unusual amount of student interest was due partly to inadequate publicity before the vote, it was pointed out. "But with this kind of strong response from the College, we should at least try the new rule," a Council member commented.

Opponents of the 11 p.m. signout have argued that girls who want to leave the dorms later can get special permission from their housemothers, who were instructed to be "lenient" in giving them out. House committee members can also give such permissions in some dorms.

Vote Decisive

Mary Ellen Reinert '54, Chairman of the Radcliffe News, had threatened to call for an all-College referendum if the--Council did not reconsider the 11 p.m. rule. A News poll last year showed a majority in favor of it.

The vote for the motion in yesterday's meeting was 11 to 5, with three abstentions. Last week it was 14 to 7 against, with one abstention.