Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-22
HARVARD ASSA|LED
ON EATING SYSTEM
New "High- Table" Dinners
Termed Undsmocratic
by Critics.
anecial Disnatch to IRE Star

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BOSTON. May % tNANA.) .-Since
Lowell Ho, Sc was opened last Fall as
one of the first two units OF the Hark-
ness "houe PLAN" which eventually Will
alter the social system OF Harvard UNI
versity. every Monday night has been
marked by the holding of what is known
as a ''high- table" dinner.
Even before the first Of these func-
lions was held it was for one reason or
another, the subject of controversy
among undergraduates graduates and
others interested in collegiate affairs
Modelled obviously en- the social rou-
tine of aristocratic oxford, the nigh
table" was condemned by many as an
undemocratic, un-American importation
from the British educational system.
With Mayor Curley's attendance at
one of these high tables" this inStitu-
ton has become matter OF general
public interest. What, every enc wants
to know, is high table" who sits at
it. how DO they get that way, and what
Of it?
Eating Made Function.
Before the "house pan" was intro
duced Harvard undergraduates ate their
meas at their clubs or. if they lacked
membership, they "at1 around" In the
various public cafeterias and the more
swanSy restaurants. Years before there
had been a college-run commons in
Memorial Hail. but more recently eat
ing, except for the freshmen, was
private matter. The college took no
steps to satisfy the wants of the inner
man.
Under the "house plan," however, eat
ing was to become a collegiate function
almost as much as reading or attending
classes. Each house" is equipped with
a dining hall, and the residents of that
"house" must take a certain number OF
meals in them, or, what amounts to the
same thing, must pay for certain
number of meals.
Lowell House has gone a step further
IN making eating communal collegiate
function. At one end of It's large din
ing room is built permanent platform,
about 2 feet higher than the main por-
ticn of tie ficcr Usually this platform
is devoid CT furniture, but en- Monday
nights it supports long, narrow table.
seating approximately 80 persons.
Professors Invite Guests.
Several weeks ago Mcgon Hammond,
senior tutor of Lowell House, reminded
all the professors and tutors who are
attached to Lowe HOUSE that there was
going to be another high table" Each
Of these men has th2 privilege of in
vitirg some guest to attend.
THUS Fcuse Master Julian =. Coolidge
decided that he would ssk Mayor Curley
to be his guest on this occasion, want
ing. possibly, to hsnor the mayor Of
Boston with an irritation which carries
with it a certain disticntion, or think
ing. perhaps, that the mayor would be
good company. In similar fashion a
dozen CT so of the other faculty mem
bers CT the "hcuse" asked friends to
attend.
Some Of these guests were Harvard
faculty members not attached to Lowell,
some were teachers at preparatory
schools. some were merely private citi-
gems. Besides these, half-doZen I'M
dergraduate members Of Lowell were
chosen at random and bid to the high
table,
When Monday evening rolled around
all these guests and the men who had
invited them repaired to Mr.. Coolidge 8
residence, part OF Lowell House. They
went from there to the tutors common
room, which is situated between Mr..