230 Winthrop Residents Sign Petition Against Dining Hall Manager Transfer

Two hundred and thirty Winthrop House residents have signed a petition protesting the transfer of Robert B. Davis, food service supervisor of Winthrop House Dining Hall.

R.J. Monteville, manager of college dining hall that they would be transferred from their permanent house positions and made substitute supervisors for all the dining halls.

Most students in Eliot House did not know of the proposed transfer of Hill, Edgar H. Ling '80, co-chairman of the Eliot House Committee, said yesterday.

"I had hoped to work at Winthrop for the next five years--until I have to retire," Davis said. "I guess there's nothing I can do," he added.

"I don't want to change." Hill said yesterday.

Monteville yesterday called his decision "routine" and said it would go into effect January 1. "Changes and transfers are part of the business we're in," he added.

Members of the kitchen staff of both houses expressed their dissatisfaction with the transfers.

"I was really surprised. It's too bad, he's a good man to work for," Patricia A. Logan, an Eliot House worker, said yesterday.

"I think it's terrible. A man holds a permanent position for 12 years and then he has to go back to where he started--switching from hall to hall," a Winthrop House worker, who asked not to be identified, said yesterday.

The students circulating the Winthrop House petition said yesterday their goal was to keep Davis as supervisor.

"We hope to get 100 per cent of the house to sign the petition," Clayton A. Sure '80. said yesterday. He added that the signed petition would be sent to Monteville, Frank J. Weissbecker, director of food services, and Archie C. Epps III, dean of students.

Weissbecker said yesterday he supported Monteville's decision.

James A. Davis. Master of Winthrop House, said he planned to sign the petition. "Winthrop House is uniformly against the decision," he added.

"I really hope we can keep Bob. He makes the dining hall a personal family place." Martha P. Leape, Allston Burr Senior Tutor of Winthrop House, said yesterday.

Joyce Flynn, a tutor in Winthrop, said that Davis was always concerned about students. "One year at Christmas he invited the students who had no place to go for Christmas dinner to his home," she added.

Alan Heimert. Master of Eliot House, said yesterday he did not know of Hill's transfer. Laura Gordon Fisher, Allston Burr Senior Tutor in Eliot House, refused to comment on the proposed change