Alums Attend Pre-Reunion

There are women everywhere. The professors seem younger. The dining halls are quieter. And the food is better.

Those were among the impressions of about 230 alumni ranging from fifth to 55th reunion classes who participated in "Return to Harvard Day" yesterday.

Participants went to a variety of classes in the morning are lunch at a River House, heard undergraduates in an afernoon panel discussion talk about life at Harvard today, and wrapped the whole thing up with a reception at Wadsworth House.

At the afernoon's panel, four students-Valence A. Barton '86 of Quincy House, Joan Cunningham '85 of I everett House, and Steven D. Hoey '85 and Robert A. Madsen "85 of Quincy-discussed their lives at Harvard and fielded questions from alumni.

"'Return to Harvard Day' is a program for reunioning classes to attend classes at Harvard which would not otherwise be available at reunions in June," said Diane Jellis, the Alumni Association's assistant director for classes and reunions.

Alumni interviewed yesterday had overwhelmingly favorable comments about the day.

"It was wonderful, especially going to courses," said teacher Harry Phillips '70, who lives in the Boston area. "I don't think the courses were staged that much."

"I enjoyed it very, very much. It was one of the nicest days," said management consultant John UDaley '50 " I could have spent my whole life at Harvard, if it weren't for the fact have to make a living."

At the end of the day, John H Cornell '45 concluded that "may be college is wasted on the young, and life should be the other way around work 40 years and then be a student."

Many alumni said that they carry a part of Harvard with them throughout their lives. "It's bond you don't have with other people who have not been here," said Loretta c> Cornell '44 John's wife. Agreed Armine B. Thomason '40,a retired junior high school guidance counselor: "You never feel remote from it,l somehow."

Women, Women, Women

Alumni said one of the biggest changes they found is the integration of women throughout the campus.

"In our day the professor came to Radcliffe and taught the classes again there. There were no men in classes," Thomson said.

Women were later integrated into classes, but "they were a outsiders. There existed a difference like cleavage," Udaloy said.

"Women have changed the policy, atmosphere, style, and level of discourse "I'm sure it's improved," Phillips said.

Classes have also hanged in other ways. "The professor are younger than when we went to school or we're older and the professor just look younger," said Eleanor R. Appel '40 who recently retired from a job in the Law School's placement office Appel'40 added that she thinks "people used to arrive on time to classes more."

Besides the new presence of women in the dining halls the students there seem to have quieted down. "The dining hall was amazingly quiet. The atmosphere was rowdier and notsiet a few years ago," Thomason said.

More important, Udaloy claimed that Harvard now serves better food: "I throught the lunch was better. In out time after the war they still on a Navy rations kick."