Evening star., 1952-09-29
U. Of Maryland
Houses Co-eds
In Play Room
School Lacks Room
For l,730 Women
And Men Students
By ChorIes A. McAIeer

BY ChorIes A. McAleer
The housing situation has be-
come so critical at the University
of Maryland that freshmen girls
have had to use a recreation room
for living quarters.
Girls in Margaret Brent dormi-
tory used to call it "the rec" Now
they've changed the spelling and
refer to it as "the wreck of Mag
gle B."
Facilities were provided there
for 80 girls. only a fraction of the
total numbeE of students who live
on the College Park campus or
nearby. But it's the recreation
room which emphasizes the need
for more housing.
We've needed more space all
along" said DR.. H. c. Byrd, uni
versity president. 1.-THE students
are the ones complaining now."
1900 Living on Campus.
A check of student housing re-
veals that more than 1900 are
living on the campus itself. In
addition, an estimated 1000 boys
and girls, about evenly divided, live
in the many fraternity and soror-
Iity houses dotting the College Park
area. More than 500 others live
in private homes.
In Margaret Brent hall there
were 30 girlS-in IS double -decked
bunks-when classes resumed last
Monday. Over the week end, be-
cause of reassignments and some
girls going home. there were only
IL. Today the number may rise
again, because there are many
unable to obtain any accommoda-
tions at all.
Parents of one girl came for her
Saturday to return her to home
in Baltimore. II don't want to
CO." she replied. I'm going to
stay"
Parents Do the Complaining.
University officials said more
complaints came from parents
than from students themselves.
Some are directed at temporary
housing units set up in 1946 to
meet the heavy influx of GI stu
dents and intended for only three
years use. Of the men, 1872 are
in the eight war surplus buildings.
The other LILO occupy IL perma-
nent-type dormitories and have
better accommodations.
OF the girls, sos are housed in
four brick dormitories at the
northern end of the campus. An
other 81 live in a former Army
BOO (bachelor officers quarters)
used last year by the university's
zoology department and as q
nursery.
Eventually. the university wants
to replace these temporary build
ings with permanent structures.
1t seeks authorization from the
Maryland Legislature for a $3.5
million appropriation to build
them.
This program includes three
more girls dormitories-one cost
ing 100000 to hold 180 girls, and
two more. each holding 80 girls
and costing a total Of $500,0O0.
Also included is $1.2 million for
two mems dormitories to hold 225
men each; $525,000 for three
smaller buildings to hold 300 men
and eight small dormitories. cost
ing $680,000, for rental to frater-
mites and Sororities as housing
for 256 men and women.
Including replacement Of the
temporary facilities, the univer-
lsity figures it is shy LOTT accom-
modations for men and 653 for
women. .~
This includes some "day-
dodgers" - students who attend
classes but live at home-who
prefer to wait for better accom-
modations at the university rather
than pay high room rentals off
the campus.
Students who live in permanent
|dormitories can live there rather
'cheaply under present living con-
ditions. Total room and board
costs $3.50 a semester, $50 of which
is for billeting. The food bill is
computed at $40 week. Those
who live in the temporary quar-
ters pay only $50 semester for
their room and are not committed
to eat meals in the university's
dining hall. Some of these work
outside and eat in fraternity or
sorority houses, public restau.
rants or private homes.
In the temporary structures the
housing is crowded but not nearly
as bad as it was originally. In
the Navy-type barracks, Of which
there are two, there used to be
four men to a room. Now there
are only three. In the former
BOQs there are two to a room
The present problem at College
Park involves only the undergrad
yates, of whom there are more
than 5000 so far. Graduate and
part-time students making up the
rest Of the 10000 enrolment there
do not even come in for consid-
Grafton.
DR.. Byrd said he believes the
university will never meet the full
demand for housing.
'The more we put up the more
they'll come in." he declared.
blighted areas in the down.