HOUSE COMMITTEES

During the first months of the House Plan, the seven House committees have been in some measure responsible for the activity or inactivity of their respective units. The novelty of the plan and the natural indifference on the part of students has made some central organ for stimulating House interest necessary.

Because of the inefficiency of some of the committees several of the Houses have been under a distinct disadvantage in their initial year. While the Lowell House Committee, for example, has been active in finding the wishes of House members and in effecting innovations, the committee in Eliot House has hardly made its existence known. It has been negligent in collection of money for the House fund, procuring contributions from some members and not even soliciting other students in the House; in minor matters it has shown little efficiency. The contrast between other of the seven committees is no less striking; one some have been active in organizing discussion and study groups and in planning social functions, while others have given no attention to them.

Complete uniformity of activity in various Houses is certainly not desirable; it would interests with the development of the autonomy and the individually of the units. Any House is in fact at liberty to abolish its committees, but so long as all the Houses have committees under the guise of student representation, all of them should be alert and efficient. There are great possibilities for leadership and initiative by Houses Committees; the least that can be expected in that they should be competent in the performances of routine duties.