VOL. XV, NO. 7

What does S-201 have in common with A-222 and L-106? All three are places where absolute silence is maintained for some length of time, the difference being the former is a form of punishment while the latter is a place for quiet study.

While study halls are necessary for underclassmen who must learn good study habits, their purpose is less clear when it comes to upperclassmen. As a result, their usefullness has been reduced to little more than a babysitting service. The percentage of students who actually study is relatively small since many assignments for upperclassmen are long range papers which cannot be researched or written in a 20-40 minute study hail.

One solution to this problem could be the revival of the Senior Lounge or the designation of a certain room (L-106, A-222, etc.) as a PAR room for upperclassmen who cannot go to the cafeteria during lunch periods and are misplaced in freshman study halls. Another could be the use of L-106 as an extension of the LRC where students could study and work in small groups. This would benefit both students and LRC personnel as it would reduce overcrowding in the LRC. High school is a training center where students must learn to cope with responsibility. Upperclassmen should be given this chance.

Many students are quite capable of carrying on quiet conversation, and to punish them for the immature behavior of students several years younger is both unrealistic and unreasonable.