Protesters Rally to Save Great Hall

In the second protest in fewer than two weeks, about 10 demonstrators gathered yesterday morning at Johnston Gate to voice their objections to the renovations of the Great Hall in the Harvard Union.

"Preserve the Union," shouted Michael Adams, a professional preservationist from New York City who had chained himself to the gate of the Union in protest on Feb. 17.

These words did not fall upon deaf ears, with students having classes in or near the yard complaining to Adams throughout the protest.

"I think its stupid," said Amy Retzinger '95. "I am trying to study but I can't because he has been screaming. It makes the cause looks stupid."

One faculty member teaching in nearby Harvard Hall asked Adams to desist his loud vocal protest because he said it was disturbing his class.

Adams responded by shouting, "Your class being interrupted for one hour is nothing compared to what students all over the world will lose."

Two Harvard police officers were on the scene throughout the entire three hour protest.

Also among the protesters were H. A. Crosby Forbes '50, secretary for the Committee to Save the Great Hall of the Harvard Union, Richard S. Chafee '54-'56 and Laurence O. McKinney '66.

Members of Harvard's Graduate School of Design (GSD) were also present for part of the protest.

Local architectural designer and critic Phillip Arcidi and Adams' friend Iten Fales, the wife of a Harvard alumnus and teaching fellow, joined the other protesters in distributing copies of an editorial which ran in the Boston Globe on Monday and a letter to the editor by Alex Huppe, Harvard's director of public affairs, which ran yesterday.

The Globe's editorial criticized Harvard's decision to divide the Great Hall, while Huppe's response said the University is making "something useful and better out of unused space."

According to Fales, more than 2,500 fliers were distributed during the protest, which took place from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

"I expected more people," Fales said. "A lot of people are interested, but they have other fish to fry."

Arcidi said he is encouraged by the editorial and letter in the Globe.

"I expected more people," Fales said. "A lot of people are interested, but they have other fish to fry."

Arcidi said he is encouraged by the editorial and letter in the Globe.

"The fact that [Harvard feels] compelled to respond makes it apparent that they recognize that there are serious problems with the plans," Arcidi said.

But members of the administration say they will not halt the renovations.

"As far as derailing the project...no, we are going ahead with the project right now," said David A. Zewinski '76, a senior vice president for property operations and construction who was present for part of the protest.

Adams said he is shocked that Harvard will not recognize its error.

"I am a voice crying in the wilderness," Adams said. "Never in my life would I imagine that this wilderness would be Harvard, which is supposed to be an Athens."

Questionable Support

Critics of the renovations yesterday also questioned the administration's contention that the plans were supported by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

In a letter to committee member Richard C. Byron '50, Director of Planning for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Philip J. Parsons wrote, "I should note that representatives of the National Trust have reviewed our plans and are supportive."

Wendy Nicholas, the Northeast Regional Director for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, confirmed that a number of board members visited the University last year to "see what was going on."

But Nicholas said that it is not the trust's mission or responsibility to review or approve plans for specific buildings or projects.

"While I think all of us would prefer to see that interior space retained as it is, it is not in our permit to second guess the University whether or not they had done an adequate job in identifying possible new uses, other than as a...dining hall," she said.

Other Protests

Last week, Matthew Cohen, a student at the GSD, sent a petition containing 133 signatures and urging the University to reconsider its plans to President Neil L. Rudenstine and other administrators.

"The reasons the University has given for the destruction of the Great Hall reveal an astonishing lack of appreciation of the hall's architectural and historical significance," wrote Cohen in the cover letter to the petition.

The petition includes signatures of 87 GSD students, 29 design professionals, 10 GSD faculty members and six faculty members from various other universities.

Cohen said he has sent letters to the Kresge Foundation and other major Harvard donors.

"I used to think that the chances [that the renovations will proceed] were 99 to one against," he said. "Maybe now it's 95 to five.

"I expected more people," Fales said. "A lot of people are interested, but they have other fish to fry."

Arcidi said he is encouraged by the editorial and letter in the Globe.

"The fact that [Harvard feels] compelled to respond makes it apparent that they recognize that there are serious problems with the plans," Arcidi said.

But members of the administration say they will not halt the renovations.

"As far as derailing the project...no, we are going ahead with the project right now," said David A. Zewinski '76, a senior vice president for property operations and construction who was present for part of the protest.

Adams said he is shocked that Harvard will not recognize its error.

"I am a voice crying in the wilderness," Adams said. "Never in my life would I imagine that this wilderness would be Harvard, which is supposed to be an Athens."

Questionable Support

Critics of the renovations yesterday also questioned the administration's contention that the plans were supported by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

In a letter to committee member Richard C. Byron '50, Director of Planning for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Philip J. Parsons wrote, "I should note that representatives of the National Trust have reviewed our plans and are supportive."

Wendy Nicholas, the Northeast Regional Director for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, confirmed that a number of board members visited the University last year to "see what was going on."

But Nicholas said that it is not the trust's mission or responsibility to review or approve plans for specific buildings or projects.

"While I think all of us would prefer to see that interior space retained as it is, it is not in our permit to second guess the University whether or not they had done an adequate job in identifying possible new uses, other than as a...dining hall," she said.

Other Protests

Last week, Matthew Cohen, a student at the GSD, sent a petition containing 133 signatures and urging the University to reconsider its plans to President Neil L. Rudenstine and other administrators.

"The reasons the University has given for the destruction of the Great Hall reveal an astonishing lack of appreciation of the hall's architectural and historical significance," wrote Cohen in the cover letter to the petition.

The petition includes signatures of 87 GSD students, 29 design professionals, 10 GSD faculty members and six faculty members from various other universities.

Cohen said he has sent letters to the Kresge Foundation and other major Harvard donors.

"I used to think that the chances [that the renovations will proceed] were 99 to one against," he said. "Maybe now it's 95 to five.