What Marshals?

To the Editors of The Crimson:

We voted for them because we had confidence in their ability to arrange our Senior events. Perhaps we were mistaken. What happened at The Senior Party at the Links Club to many seniors, ourselves included, was an inexcusable case of inefficiency and ignorance on the part of two of our class marshals.

Upon presenting our Harvard IDs, which now display our birthdates, many seniors were informed by The Links Club management that this card did not constitute proper identification. When our class marshals were appealed to for intervention on our behalf, we were told by Radcliffe Marshal Frances Alice Peale, "You should have known that a Harvard ID card cannot be used outside the University. You always have to show a driver's license at a bar." Frances, as our elected representative, did not at first try to negotiate with The Links Club administration. Instead, she chastised us for our "misguided" assumption that a Harvard ID card would be accepted at a Harvard-sponsored Senior event. The one other marshal present at the time, Jane E. Mendez, relinquished all responsibility for the misunderstanding, saying, "This is not my responsibility." If not hers, then whose? Neither marshal, unfortunately, had done her homework.

In a pamphlet of senior events distributed by our marshals, the authors were careful to note that at both the Reunion at the Union and at the Senior Party at the Links Club, proper ID was required. Says the pamphlet: "Anyone who shows their College ID with the appropriate birthdate will be accepted at Senior events as legal. If there is any question as to your eligibility...you are encouraged to carry your College ID or your driver's license as long as it has your picture and the necessary birthdate.

College ID cards alone had been accepted at the Reunion at the Union Given this precedent and the publication itself, we feel our marshals acted inappropriately. To be told at the door of The Links Club that we should have known to bring identification other than our Harvard IDs, either demonstrates our representatives' inefficiency in checking with the Club's policy or their ignorance as to the information contained in the official event descriptions.

We are very sorry that this has happened. Although these individuals will be marching on June 9 in front of us, we feel that in this case they have not led us. Michelle Davila '88   Lucy Godly '88   Amy Hackenberg '88   Jennifer Lai '88   Sylvia Torres '88