Meal Contracts

To the Editors of the Crimson:

In reading your recent editorial on meal contracts, I was struck by a very curious fact:

The management of University Dining Halls estimates that, in the event of an optional contract system, 55% of all Dining Hall patrons will have to pay $14 a week; 35% $12; and 10% $10. From these figures one can readily compute that the management reckons on an average toll of $12.90 a week, or an increase of $6.95 over resent rates.

Since fewer meals will, presumably, be taken at the Dinning Halls, I find it very singular that the average, and hence the total, charge per person should rise rather than diminish: in other words, that the Dining Galls management either cannot deal accurately with figures or does not wish to, two alternatives which one is equally reluctant to accept. Harold P. Furth, '51

The presumption that fewer meals will be served is not, according toe Dining Hall officials, correct. They estimate, in fact, that under a contract system the average number of meals per week each man will eat will be 17 and on half--not 16. This figure is based on a pre-war contract system where out of 100 men, 55 ate 21 meals each week, 35 ate 14, and 10 ate 10. (The editorial in question erroneously stated that 10 percent would eat 7 meals, at a charge of $10, instead of 10 meals). The total number of meals per 100 men would be 1745, not 1400, and the Dining Halls would sense quantly need more revenue.