Keep Divorce Private

To the Editors of The Crimson:

I am writing in response to the article published in The Crimson on February 4 concerning the impending divorce of the co-masters of Quincy House, Michael and Rosa Shinagel. As a sophomore in Quincy House, I was surprised by the news myself, but I feel it was in extremely poor taste for The Crimson to run a front-page article on this personal matter.

Divorce is always an unpleasant, not to mention painful experience for the two individuals who have to go through it. Divorce should also be a private, not a public, matter. Therefore, I feel The Crimson violated the privacy of the Shinagels and showed no respect for their position in the University by taking upon itself the "duty" of informing the entire Harvard community about their plans to divorce.

The Shinagels addressed their letter "personal and confidential" to members of Quincy House. The news was not intended for members of other houses, who do not even know the Shinagels and have no particular right to know that they are getting a divorce.

I realize that Crimson reporters are constantly searching for interesting stories to print. However, I feel that a mistake was make in publishing the article about the Quincy masters' divorce due to the personal nature of the decision. On behalf of the members of Quincy House, I am sorry that the masters are separating, but this matter is definitely not one which should be explored by the press. Katherine M. Raab '94