4 'A + +M ' Page 12-The Michigan Daily Magazine Dorms Will Be Dorms And at MIT, They Are r , . *'...*'*t. *** By DAVID KESSEL Daily Staff Writer THE prospect of living in Uni- versity dormitories seems to fill large numbers of men hereabouts with something less than enthusi- asm, although it could be said that a hard core of conservatives views the present situation with a cer- tain degree of improbable delight. For the benefit of the soft core of perfectionists who imagine that more desirable circumstances exist somewhere in this land, let me re- count certain aspects of dormitory living, Massachusetts Institute of Technology style, which prevailed during the 1948-1952 era. It should be noted by eager young transfer hopefuls that much of the follow- ing has since been modified, but. that the memory lingers yet. Unlike the rather curious house- mother-maid system which seems to prevail herg, MIT dorms are occasionallyhdusted anddswept by porters who regard the inmates not as mere soilers of linen and spillers of beer, but as companions in the vast spectacle of sin and corruption called "life". T HE ENTERPRISING student would bribe his porter withI gin and cheese sandwiches, engagei in long conversations about by-I gone days, and generally seek aid 1 and companionship from this man for two reasons. First, the porter who was your friend was less likely to report horrible infractions of the few existin- rules to the authorities; second, the porter could get extra soao and blankets for his student friends, and might, in extreme cases, even dust the room with something more effective than the usual damp mop. A token regulation against food preparation in dorm rooms was almost completely forgotten amid a profusion of hot plates and re- frigerators filled with rare old cheese and moldy salmon. SOME OF THE rooms of rare individuals were sghts to be- hold. Motorcycles, stolen coca-cola machines, drill presses, rifle col-1 lections, band saws, transmitters1 (legal and illegal), and pizza ovens could be found if you knew where to look.. Large fa' ilies of cats, rats, and even an alligator roamedl the halls, more or less co-existing4 in a somewhat immoral fashion,l as did we all.Z A plea for more quiet during thei evening hours by a certain student leader brought, during the eveningt after this unfortunate request, a1 mass demonstration of major pro-i prtions, with bonfires between! two of the dormitory units, gaso- I line burning here and there, home- made bombs of great effectiveness and mobs of undergraduates mill- ing about, culminating the dousing of the student leade with a pail of water when he chanced to look out his window. BUT FOR ALL the abuses -" this free and easy system, itmust be said that the entire picture was generally a satisfactory one. Men were able to consider +1-.,r dorm rooms as their own, with no tool pigeons living within shotgun range.. Excess energy was chan- nelled into attempted- wreckage of well-built dormitory units and the surrounding region~s; mostly grassy fields of great resilience. The people of Boston may have often noted unusual -,ctivity across the river, but they were seldom bothered by it. While the housing problem here is complicated by large enroll- ments and a room shortage, it is hoped that the future will bring an arrangement which will some- how improve- matters. When a man can only be alone with a girl in a Union. Snack Bar booth, when his dorm room must be treated like a loan from Conrad Hilton, and when normal hell- raising inclinations result in a $10 fine and a warning, the situation can only get better. STUDYING A PLEASURE-Card tables here replace the desk supplied by the dormitory, accidentally burned in a demonstration, . I I I with YOU in mind! Dance Classes Exclusively Reserved For University Students SPECIAL OFFER K 5 v.. - J4 .v I Cuba's Youn Those > 0 9 U 4 for 100 People 5 Private Hours 10 Class Hours REGISTER NOW!: Deadline Saturday, Sept. 28th Studio Open 10 A.M.-10 P.M. All Arthur Murray Students Are Invited to Attend Parties Feature Articles Lg Intellectuals Booming Motels Meyer Levi's Compi Dorms Will Be CoPYrtght 1433, Arthvr Murray, Inc. '4 Art School's McClure Bus Tern ARTHUR MURRAY STUDIO 1311 South UniversityiNO 2-5539 ..®.