Radcliffe Houses Tighten Security; Pinkerton Man Hired for Currier

Partly as a result of the two assaults which have occurred in the Radcliffe area over the last month, Currier House has hired a Pinkerton guard and begun installation of new set of front doors.

Since Saturday Currier has had a Pinkerton guard on duty at its main entrance in A-entry every night from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. All other doors to the House are locked, and the guard checks the bursar's cards of everyone going in or out. Those people without cards must sign in.

According to J. Boyd Britton, administrative vice-president of Radcliffe, "The College has always planned on adequate security. Now that construction on the House is complete, and everyone can use one entrance, it makes sense to hire a guard."

Mrs. Jerome Bruner, head of Currier, said last night that Mr. Bruner and Ralph Gates, Director of Radcliffe Building and Grounds, had decided to have the guard hired a short time ago. She also said that the new front doors will be locked at all times and all of Currier's 350 residents will be given keys. "We'll keep the guard at least until the doors are completed," she said.

Mrs. Bruner also said, "Right now we don't have anyone on bells during the hours the guard is there, but when we go back to hiring students for bells at night, we won't be using women. We just don't feel the atmosphere is right."

Nancy-Beth Gordon, president of RUS and resident of Currier, said, "The main entrance is really out-of-the-way. When you were alone there on bells at night, you were really all alone. Also, you couldn't see who was coming until they got inside. We're going to have to change that. People were supposed to stop and identify themselves to you, but of course they didn't and there was nothing you could do. The door was open."

Richard V. Jones, Master of North House, said last night, "We are concerned with the need for greater security. Lately we've been keeping all outside doors locked."

"We don't pay students to do bells except at dinner-time. I must say it's pretty difficult to recruit people to do them, even though they only run until 2 a.m. I don't think a guard would work in our situation because we don't have one main entrance like Currier, although all our buildings are connected," Jones added.

When asked about plans to provide guards for other Radcliffe buildings, Britton refused to comment.