University of Virginia Library

Renovations
Draw Protests
From Dorms

By PHIL KIMBALL

The University's Housing Division
plans to plaster and repaint rooms in the
Monroe Hall dormitories starting
Monday, despite mounting protests from
residents.

Plasterers will begin Monday to make
repairs. Painters will begin work a week
later. Residents are requested to remove
all personal articles from the walls and
closets before painters begin.

A petition has been circulated
throughout the dormitories asking that
repairs be postponed to a time when
students are away on vacation.

"The inconveniences resulting from
such a project while the rooms are
occupied is obvious," the petition
reads, "particularly in light of alternatives
which seemingly would cause less
hardship on everyone concerned."

"We should point out that the
acceptance of the decision might be
facilitated by an adequate explanation
from the administration as to why the
dormitory walls must be renovated now
and not, say, during spring break or the
summer," it continues.

Ralph E. Main, director of housing,
explained that it was more economical if
the painters were employed throughout
the year, and that the only way this could
be done was by having them work
indoors during the winter.

The job is too large to be
accomplished during Spring vacation he
continued.

Mr. Main stated that an odorless
rubber based paint will be used that will
dry quickly, enabling students to return

In a notice to dormitory residents K.
E. Jones, assistant director for business
management, apologizes for the
inconvenience and asks for student
cooperation.