After the 10th House--An 11th?

Even as Harvard proceeds with plans for the 10th House, many members of the Administration envision the eventual construction of an 11th House.

The idea is still in the discussion stage, and a timetable for construction hasn't even been contemplated. With Harvard's large fund-raising commitments--the new Program for Harvard Science seeks $49 million and the University's total needs probably exceed $150 million--it may be five or ten years before anyone even considers the project seriously.

The architects for the 10th House will present final design plans to the Corporation, the University's senior governing body, sometime early this Fall. Accomodating 400 students, the House will be built on a site behind Dunster and is expected to be finished by September, 1969. It is already clear, however, that the new House will still leave unachieved some of Harvard's housing goals.

Originally, officials had hoped that the House would allow a sharp reduction in the number of students living off-campus, the deconversion of some suites in other Houses, and an end to the use of Claverly Hall as a dormitory. With more than 250 students living off-campus this year, Dea Watson pointed out, it is unlikely that the 10th House will be able to accomplish all these ends effectively.

Building Site Considered

If there is an 11th House, it may be built on a plot of land adjacent to Leverett Towers and across the street from the new 10th House.

Last Spring, when the University was desperately looking for a workable site for the 10th House, it considered including a piece of this land. At the time, it hadn't acquired all the plots on the block now being used for the 10th House, and thought it might have to use additional space to build a large enough House. Administration members then mentioned two major drawbacks: the undesirability of building one House on two pieces of land, and the sacrifice of the second plot, which, they said, could eventually be used for the 11th House