Yard Rooms May House 62 Freshman Commuters

The 62 forced commuters in the Freshman Class may be able to move into the Yard by February, according to Dean von Stade.

Forty seven rooms in Thayer Hall are currently being renovated, and there is "a good chance," von Stade said, that these will be available for occupancy in February. The freshmen now forced to commute would then be able to move into these rooms.

Normally, there is no housing problem in Febraury, von Stade observed. So many upperclassmen leave or graduate, he said, that commuters are able to be accommodated. In fact, he noted, there were more vacancies last year than could be filled.

Next year when Quincy House opens, the dean said, the upperclassmen now living in Wigglesworth will probably be able to move into a House, leaving 130 rooms available for freshmen. Since there would be more room available next year, he stated, it might be possible to "eliminate forced commuters" entirely.

However, the rehabilitation of dormitories in the Yard will continue, von Stade emphasized. "As we get more of Wigglesworth back," he said, "we can expedite the rehabilitation providing, of course the Corporation approves the necessary expenditures." It may be possible, he said, "to close one of the older dorms, maybe one half of Matthews," so that renovation work may be done.

Emergency Steps

There were many emergency steps taken this year, von Stade noted, to make the necessary space available so that part of a freshman dormitory could be closed down. One of these, he said, was allowing more than 50 seniors to live outside their Houses. "I would guess," he said, "that the Committee on Houses will vote not to let them live outside the Houses next year." But, he added, that was only his speculation.

More space will be available when many of the administrative offices in Weld Hall are moved to their new location in the proposed Health Center. But, von Stade said, that will happen only in the "distant future," in about five years.