Harvard-Yale Gala Fails To Draw Student Interest

Only 95 tickets have been sold for the College-wide dance scheduled for Yale weekend, but members of the committee which planned the event remain optimistic that the gala will be a success.

The $15 tickets for the black-tie-optional event only went on sale two days ago, but many students have said they will not attend the second College-sponsored formal dance of this semester.

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III said that he would consider the ball a success if 500 to 600 of the 1000 tickets were sold. "Sales are going reasonably well," said Epps, chairman of the College 350th Committee. "They won't pick up until next week."

"I know many people who are going and just haven't bought their tickets yet," said Cristina V. Coletta '87, one of the event's organizers.

"I don't think that people are tuned into the Yale game yet," said the Dunster resident. "People aren't making plans in advance."

But some students said they made a deliberate decision not to attend the event. "I'm all balled out," said Eva Lum '89. "I have memories of the 350th ball, so I don't care anymore."

The Lowell resident, who attended both the 350th and Citystep balls, said, "I don't think having a ball is a big deal anymore."

One ticket buyer said he viewed the dance as a substitute for the 350th ball. "I missed the 350th ball, so this is sort of a second chance," said Mather House's David J. Cowan '87.

However, Epps said that the two events were unrelated. "It's not a ball," he said. "It's a black-tie-optional dance. We're aiming for a mixed group of people."

"I'd rather go to the Glee Club concert," said Debbie R. Winkler '89, a Lowell House resident. The Harvard and Yale Glee Clubs will be performing in Sanders Theater before and during the dance.

Concertgoers could attend both the dance and the concert, Epps said.