PBH Seeks to Conduct Annual Charities Drive

The Phillips Brooks House Association yesterday asked the Student Council to allow it to conduct the Combined Charities Drive in the future. It sharply criticized this year's drive as an "apparent failure," and stated that "the efficiency of the drive must be improved."

In a letter to Larry R. Johnson '58, President of the Student Council, the PBH cabinet declared it was "seriously concerned" that the drive would not yield enough to cover its current budget. Over 40% of its funds come from the drive.

It claimed that its Drives Committee, which collected an unprecedentedly large number of blood donations this year, could operate much more efficiently than the Charities Drive run under the auspices of the Council.

PBH said that the amount collected this year (approximately $7000) was "ridiculously small" compared to the $35,000 goal that Yale has exceeded the past two years.

PBH proposed to allow the Student Council general control over the goals of the drive, such as designating the specific charities, and allocating the funds, but said that the actual running of the drive should be under its superior facilities.

Johnson Admits Inefficiency

Johnson, when contacted last night, said that he thought this "a fairly good proposal." He admitted that the present organization did not contact everyone, and that more money could be raised through a more thorough drive.

If the PBH "permanent drives set-up" does prove more thorough, he added, it might do a better job.

Gregory Stone '58, the chairman of this year's drive, said that he had no comment at the present time on the PBH proposal.

PBH pointed out that its Drives Committee is already responsible for two blood drives and two book and clothing drives during the year. "It is inefficient to have a second Drives Committee established separately for collections which do not differ in their general method and scope of operation," it added.

A merging of the two drives, the letter continued, also "would provide more experienced and efficient organization with respect to such matters as publicity and solicitation."