The Culinary Department Once More

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To the Editor of the CRIMSON:

Despite Mr. Chalufour's remarks on the subject of "grub-grumbling", there is much to be said for Mr. Gowney's complaint. Two years ago, when we were inmates--if I may use the word--of the Freshman Halls, the food was generally prepared in a very poor fashion. Save for a few standard dishes the articles on the so-called menus were uniformly badly cooked. I do not mean to say that they were unwholesome though memory of certain cream puffs still lurks in my mind and in those of others as well. The food was probably both wholesome and nourishing, but youth has the outrageous habit of wishing its food to be palatable also, and Freshman Hall food certainly is not palatable.

The idea of having Freshmen eat together is an excellent one, but it should be executed only when the quality of the food is such as to make the meals pleasant. I really cannot see why the University Dining Halls should have to serve worse food than the Harvard Square restaurants which charge but little more and must make a profit. Nevertheless, the quality of the food in the Freshman Halls two years ago, and at Memorial last year was decidedly below the level of the better restaurants on the Square.

This has not always been so. At least an older brother (1912) who dined with me once at the Freshman Halls declared that the fare had deteriorated greatly since his time, and I have no reason to doubt his word. The trouble seems to be principally with the sort of cooks the authorities have obtained, and I see no reason why the University cannot secure the services of cooks as good as the restaurants have. Richard Baltzly '26.