The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1943-01-15

DO you yearn 10 IND your SO
cisl equivalent" Or. In the am
academic vernacular. do you want
a date? II the answer II yes. pull
up a chair and listen TO the story
OF Introduction"
Introduction IN a sort Of Lonely
Hearts Bureau in cap and gown
although that description will
doubtless cause the hackles to risc
upon the youthful neck of Herbert
Gersten. its founder. II began.
under the forbidding title Of The
Social Service Experiment" In
Newark, N. j., year and a half
ago. And IL expects to grow up
To be a national institution.
just recently II moved into New
York. conveyed by an advisory
committee that includes sociology
professors. ministers. a couple Of
physicians. and DR.. Mary &c. Wool
ley. former president of Mount
Holyoke college.
Gersten. who In now I'll. con-
ceived and launched Introduction
at Rutgers university. But Intro
duction resembles the average
college date bureau" about as
much as the Atlantic Monthly re-
sembles College Humor. Nor Ia
this non-profit experiment akin 10
the mail-order matrimonial agen-
cy. It's purpose is explicit In the
title and its intentions. though
honorable, are not matrimonial.
The whole operation Is very decor
Gus and very scientific.
You simply go 10 the 1ntroduc-
ton office and fill out an spplics-
ton card. You put down the
usual vital statistics. two refer
ences. your religion. education.
chief interests and the sports ac-
tivities which you can perform
with reasonable grace. You also
put down the age. height. weight.
interests and activities Of your
ideal social equivalent"
You are interviewed by a
trained psychologist. who seeks
out any undesirable qualities that
might be evident through your
conversation. Most registrants
pass the test, however. II you're
a civilian imam or woman) you
pay SO for the registration. sy-
ice men may register for nothing.
Introduction figures your social
quotient" and lines up some tenta-
tive specimens for you. When
you want date you simply call
the office. and they usually can
fix you up In a FEW minutes.
Charge for the first date II 40
cents 20 civilians and IS cents 10
service men. After the first date
everything. as far as Introduction
Is concerned. il for free.
Introduction started with a
purely objective discussion be-
tween Cersten and his college
roommate on the psychological
ills arising from loneliness.
Something ought TO BE- done
about IT," ssid Cersten. And from
such an unoriginsl remark was
born a highly original enterprise.
After a few practice swings In
his senior year. Cersten launched
the Social Service Experiment
night after graduation. setting up
business in a room Of his parents
house in Newark. When MS
scanty capital ran out. he gathered
contributions from prominent
Newark citizens. II was pure
altruism. Cersten says. no donor
got a date.
AZ more contributions and en-
dorsements came IN. the experi-
ment moved 70 bigger quarters
and acquired the services Of some
volunteer assistants. Gsrste n
doesn't remember VINO thought up
the name Of Introdoction-saya II
was either Mrs. Charles Robbins.
who is Mrs. Eleanor Rooseyeit's
second cousin. or Phil Smith. editor
Of the West Orange Review.