Eliot Black Group Recruits Freshmen

A group of Black students at Eliot House is trying to "dispel myths" that Eliot presents an "uncomfortable" atmosphere for Blacks, in an effort to attract minorities before freshmen submit their housing preferences a week from Friday.

The group. "Black Students at Eliot," will send a letter this weekend to Black freshmen inviting them to a dinner Wednesday night and an open house Thursday night. Mark R Bennett '82, organizer of the group, said yesterday.

Black residents will attend both functions and will explain to prospective applicants that "you can still be Black and at Eliot the same way you can be Black and write for the Crimson or play on the football team," Bennett said.

The group will also actively speak to freshmen about coming to the House and hopes to invite Black faculty members to Eliot for dinner, Bennett said.

Bennett said the House's eight Black upperclassmen have voiced interest in the project.

A recent statistical study found that Eliot and Kirkland Houses have the smallest percentage of Blacks of any of the Houses, with only 3 percent apiece. College officials have recently encouraged House masters to recruit freshmen in order to even out statistical disparties among the Houses in academic performance, varsity athletic participation and racial diversity.

'Even Out'

Although he said the new organization is not necessarily trying to "even out" the number of Blacks at Eliot. Bennett said its efforts "have very much to do with what the masters are trying to do He added. "That's why Master Heimert encouraged us."

Master Alan E. Heimert yesterday called the group's plan "a very thoughtful idea". He declined to comment further.

Bennett said he acted to form the group because Eliot's Blacks "were almost oslrastzed because we chose this aspect of the Harvard community," adding. "We feel like we turned our back to the Black community."

Blacks are "supposed to live in Leverett and Currier Houses." Bennett said, adding, however, that he enjoys living in Eliot House Leverett, with a 14-percent Black population, and Currier, with 17 percent have by far the largest proportions of Blacks.

Jerry C. Roy '85, chairman of the Freshman Black Table, said yesterday that freshman Blacks "are expressing more interest in all the Houses."