A Serious Stumbling Block (Vol. 1, Issue 12)

Reliable reports have led us to understand that the college authorities are seriously considering a plan to convert the old high school bookroom on the third floor into a locker room for high school students. When fully outfitted, the new locker room may also be used as a lunch room for Talmudical Academy students who bring their food from home.

About the latter plan we are not so much concerned, for it will be a direct violation of one of the main planks of the forthcoming drive for neater appearance, namely, the absolute insistance that all lunches be consumed in the college cafeteria and nowhere else. In as much as authorities of every department have promised their sincere and complete cooperation with the above campaign, that idea will in all probability be dropped. 

But the plan to install lockers is a far more serious consequence to the student body. Minor objections might be that a locker room on the third floor will result in a noisy congregation of younger students during college hours with inevitable disturbances to classes on that floor. Moreover, there is no reason why high school students should be on the college floor during college hours. 

In the insurmountable obstacle this move will cause the growth of the college library, however, lies our complete opposition. With the steadily increasing facilities of the library together with the larger college enrollment, a reference room has become a distinct necessity. 

The present quarters of the college library are totally inadequate. For students to study in vacant classrooms is not only undignified for a college but impossible when the use of reference books is involved. 

Particularly this year, the absolute dependance of a steadily increasing number of students on the facilities of the reference resources of the library. has made the need of a separate reference room imperative. Surely, the authorities are interested in the status of the library. They have ample reason to show it actually. 

Yet, the surprising aspect of the entire situation is, that though fully aware of the …[illegible]... that the location of the … [illegible]... is the only available place …[illegible]...for a reference room, they have not …[illegible]... adamant in not acceding to the request of the students. 

To arouse a veritable storm of protest by actually going through with the locker room plans, therefore, would be very foolish indeed, we honestly believe. And with the arguments of the college library comprising so conclusive a case, we confidently look forward to an immediate decision by the authorities to definitely establish this controversial room as a reference annex to the library.