Porter Proposal Divides Opinions Of Head Janitors

House superintendents are split over the student porter plan. Two think it will work, two are sure it wouldn't and the others want to wait and try it before rendering judgment.

Admiral Rotchford, superintendent of Eliot House, said that he was "happily in accord with what the University is doing." He added that he had been here for 16 years and never knew the administration to make a mistake. Thomas McCarthy of Dunster also felt that students "should be able to do as well as the maids."

James Cogan, from Adams, is sure the plan will fall through. "I'd like to see some of those rooms when the student porters get finished with them," Cogan said. Another superintendent, who asked to remain anonymous, added, "why, most of those students can't even keep their own rooms in order over the week-ends when the maids aren't here."

Others didn't think the partial change would disturb things. "As long as they do the work, we'll be happy," said James Yule of Kirkland House. Fritz Rau, at Lowell, thought the porters would be "all right." He hopes they can be depended on as much as the maids, whom he feels are "steadier." Rau had students working under him before, as janitors. "Their work was good," he said, "when they worked. The trouble was that they'd often decide not to come in."

Applications for the porter jobs have been coming into the Financial Aid Center already. Over 39 College and graduate students have filed. Rates for the porters will be 80 cents per hour, or about $300 for the academic year.