Student Council Elects Leland 1958 President

The 1958 Student Council last night elected Marc E. Leland '59, of Adams House and San Francisco, as President. Paul H. Freehling '59 of Kirkland House and Chicago was elected vice-President.

Other officers chosen were Stefan D. Abrams '60 of Eliot House and Waban, treasurer, and David M. Perlmutter '59 of Lowell House and Glencoe, Ill., Secretary. Although all candidates were discussed by members of the old and new Councils, voting was done solely by members of the 1958 Council, all but two of whom are on the Council for the first time.

This unfamiliarity led the new Council to ask each candidate for President to present a "platform." In addition to Leland, editor of the conservative Fort-nightly, and Freehling, PBH chairman of the Combined Charities Drive, King K. Holmes '59 also ran for President.

Keynote sentiment of the 1958 Council was that "we want to be closer to the students," as Freehling expressed it. During discussion of candidates, he is reported to have urged a Student Council table in the House where the president would discuss ideas with interested House members.

Urges Discussion of Council

Leland urged more discussion of the Council between House representatives and members of the House, as well as between class-elected representatives and their "wide circle of friends." Leland was elected from the Class of 1959.

The 1958 Council may also be expected to attempt the abolition of class representative posts, and to try for a referendum, possibly in the fall, to "strengthen the Council," Leland said. Leland used as his platform the report of the Council Evaluation Committee, which he chairmans, which is reported to call for an end to class-elected Council posts.

A referendum to keep or abolish the Council, urged by defeated vice-presidential candidate John S. Gracey '59, may be considered for the fall, "after we have made all our changes," Perlmutter said. This referendum, however, would not mention abolition, but would only ask for student suggestions for the Council.

The Council also hopes, Abrams said, to effect "some sort of all-college unifying attitude," so the Council might "create the feeling that we are needed." In reference to the 1957 Council's frequent inability to gather a quorum, Leland felt that the new Council "would not need encouragement to attend meetings. They all ran for election."